Fatal van attack kills two in Germany

Media reports said driver had been suffering from psychological problems

MUENSTER, Germany - Prosecutors said on Sunday they still have no indication why a 48-year-old German man drove a van into a crowd of people in the western German city of Muenster, killing two and injuring 20 before shooting himself to death inside the van.

"So far there are no indications of a possible background for the crime. The investigations are being conducted at full speed and on all fronts," said prosecutor Martin Botzenhardt.

Authorities have identified the two fatalities of Saturday's crash as a 51-year-old woman from Lueneburg County and a 65-year-old man from Broken County. Their names weren't given as is customary in Germany.

Media reports said the driver, an industrial designer living in Muenster, identified only as Jens R, had been suffering from psychological problems, but police wouldn't confirm those details.

All three bodies were taken from the crash scene in front of the well-known Kiepenkerl pub early on Sunday night. The silver-grey van was hauled away hours later, after explosives experts had thoroughly checked it.

"The van is not at the crime scene anymore, all kinds of objects have also been removed, waste of course, as well as evidence that we've found on the ground," police spokeswoman Susanne Dirkorte said.

Inside the van, police found illegal firecrackers which were disguised as a fake bomb, a fake pistol and the gun that the perpetrator used to kill himself.

Inside the man's apartment, which was nearby the crash scene and raided late on Saturday, police found more firecrackers and a "no longer usable AK-47 machine gun".

Police said some of the 20 injured persons were still in life-threatening condition, but did not release further details on their identities.

The local daily Muenstersche Zeitung reported that the perpetrator had vaguely announced his suicide plans a week ago in an email to friends and that he was known to the authorities for previous violence and drug violations, but police wouldn't confirm any of those details.

The 48-year-old had driven his van into a crowd on Saturday afternoon in the historical city center of Muenster. The city was buzzing on one of the first warm spring days of the year and people were sitting outside the Kiepenkerl when he drove into the bar's tables with such a vengeance that the vehicle only came to a stop when it hit the wall of the pub. Police quickly evacuated the area and ambulances, firefighters and helicopters rushed to the scene to aid those who were injured.

On Saturday night, long queues of volunteers waited in front of the city's university hospital to donate blood for the victims. At the city's Aasee Lake, people spontaneously came together for a candlelight vigil.

Ap - Afp - Reuters

(China Daily 04/09/2018 page11)