Man arrested in Germany as car driven into crowd on New Year’s Eve
A man has been arrested in northern Germany after driving his car into a crowd, injuring four, in a suspected racist attack.
The man fled the scene in the northwestern town Bottrop on New Year’s Eve and made racist comments when he was arrested, police said in a statement.
Syrians and Afghans are among the injured, police said without releasing more details. One of the four remains in hospital.
“Investigators suspect it was a deliberate attack that may be linked to the xenophobic views of the driver,” police said. “In addition, investigators have preliminary information about a mental illness of the driver.”
Earlier in the day the man steered his car at another pedestrian who escaped the car. He also targeted others at a bus stop after the attack, police said.