German city mourns five dead in car attack TheJournal.ie

Updated 2 hours ago

Source: PA Images

TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN LEFT near the place where five people were killed when a driver struck pedestrians at high speed in the German city of Trier.

Lighted candles and flowers have been placed at the base of the city’s Roman gate as residents mourn the dead along with more than a dozen injured in the incident yesterday afternoon.

Speaking near the makeshift memorial, the city’s mayor, Wolfram Leibe, said: “The victims and their families need answers.”

A 51-year-old villager arrested at the scene made a statement to authorities and remains in custody while under investigation on five counts of murder, 18 counts of attempted murder and causing bodily injury, said prosecutor Peter Fritzen.

Authorities do not believe the suspect collided with pedestrians for any political, religious or similar reason, but have not yet been able to determine why, Fritzen added.

The statements the suspect made to police immediately after his arrest continued to change and were “partially incomprehensible,” the prosecutor said.

“The suspect also showed psychological abnormalities in his behavior during and after his arrest and in police custody.”

A comprehensive psychological examination has been ordered.

The man had been drinking long before the attack, Fritzen said, and the questioning will continue for the next few days.

Among the five dead were a 45-year-old man and his nine-week-old daughter. His wife and one-year-old son are among the injured and are being treated at a hospital, police said.

The other dead were three women aged 25, 52 and 73.

Police received the first call about the attack shortly before 1.50 pm and detained the suspect four minutes later.

Zigzagging through the pedestrian zone, police said the driver traveled a total of 800 meters, “leaving behind a trail of dead, injured and debris.”