Shock in Leipzig: Car Attack Shooter Recently Hospitalized Psychiatric

In Leipzig, a man drove a car into a crowd, resulting in two deaths and numerous injuries. The 33-year-old German, believed to have caused the shocking incident on Monday, had recently undergone treatment in a psychiatric hospital, according to authorities.

The perpetrator, driving at high speed on a main road in Leipzig’s historic district, struck two people while several others were injured. At the scene of the accident, a 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man lost their lives, and authorities reported additional injured persons, though no exact figures have been provided.

The suspect was arrested immediately after the incident. Authorities clarified that they do not believe he acted on political or religious motives. The Saxony Ministry of Health stated that the perpetrator had stayed briefly in a psychiatric hospital “voluntarily” and was discharged at the end of April.

“During his stay at the clinic, there was no danger to himself or others,” the ministry said in a statement to AFP. “There were no medical grounds to prevent the patient’s discharge, as he was there voluntarily.”

Authorities have not disclosed further details about the suspect’s condition, citing patient confidentiality. According to the police, an investigation is underway regarding suspected homicide and attempted homicide, and they believe the suspect acted alone.

German newspapers, such as Bild and the local MDR channel, reported that the man had voluntarily admitted himself to the psychiatric clinic but was asked to leave on Sunday due to aggressive behavior. It is unclear whether the clinic informed the police of his discharge, as required when there is a risk.

On Tuesday, the street where the incident occurred remained closed as police continued their investigations. Residents and students left flowers and lit candles at an impromptu memorial near a local church.

Twenty-year-old student Dalyan Unland told AFP that he was “deeply affected by the fact that people lost their lives in a place where he walks every day.” Twenty-five-year-old Lynn Sue Leiste added that the perpetrator “must be confined forever,” emphasizing that “security measures could really have been strengthened.”

Germany has been shaken by a series of vehicle attacks in recent years. Most of these deadly incidents were committed by individuals later found to have psychological problems, although some attackers had political or religious motives.

In December 2016, a Tunisian with jihadist motives drove a stolen truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 13 people. In December 2024, a Saudi man drove a car into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing six and injuring more than 300. In February 2025, an Afghan driver rammed his vehicle into a demonstration in Munich, killing a mother and her daughter and injuring about 30 others.