A man arrested after driving a car into a crowd in Leipzig, Germany, had been discharged from a psychiatric hospital just weeks before the incident, according to local authorities. The attack on Monday killed two people and left three others seriously injured.
The suspect, identified in German media as 33-year-old Jeffrey K., is a German citizen who had voluntarily checked into a mental health clinic. The Saxon Ministry of Social Affairs confirmed he was discharged at the end of April, stating he posed no danger to himself or others during his stay and that there were no medical grounds to prevent his release.
Police have said the man is being investigated on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Investigators believe he acted alone, and early findings suggest no political or religious motive. The interior minister of Saxony, Armin Schuster, cited psychological instability and rage as possible factors but declined to speculate on this specific case.
Leipzig's mayor, Burkhard Jung, described the incident as a horrific attack. The victims have been identified as a 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man, both German. The driver was stopped and detained at the scene after a Volkswagen SUV was seen speeding through a pedestrian zone.
Germany has seen several similar car-ramming attacks in recent years, including incidents in Mannheim, Munich, and Magdeburg, some involving mental health issues or extremist motives. Authorities continue to investigate the Leipzig case.
