Germany: 1 dead, several injured in Mannheim car ramming

Police said a suspect was arrested after a car drove into a crowd in the city center.

German police on Monday said one person was killed and several injured as a car drove into a pedestrian zone in the western city of Mannheim. 

A suspect is in custody, police said, adding that it was unclear if any others had been involved.

Several cities across Germany are holding parades on Monday to mark the carnival season. Mannheim's main parade took place on Sunday.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser canceled her participation in a carnival parade in Cologne and was being briefed on the incident, a ministry spokesperson said. 

"The rescue of human lives, care of the injured and the initial investigations by the authorities in Mannheim are now the priority," the spokesperson added.  

What we know about the car ramming

The incident took place at Paradeplatz, a major square in the downtown area, at around noon.

According to the Mannheim24 news website, a black SUV had driven at high speed into a crowd close to where a carnival market was held.

The Mannheim University Hospital said it implemented an emergency plan in case of a possible mass casualty incident, according to the dpa news agency.

Authorities sent an alert on the Katwarn app to tell the public in Mannheim to avoid the city center. The app is used by officials to communicate information about major emergencies. 

The incident comes just weeks after two people were killed in a car ramming in Munich.

More to follow...