Berlin police have raided the home of a 29-year-old man who drove a car into a crowd in the western city centre on Wednesday morning, killing a teacher and injuring at least 14 of her students, including five critically.
The attack took place at 10.28am on the Kurfürstendamm boulevard when a silver Renault Clio swerved into the group then headed east, drove 300 metres on a pavement and crashed into a perfume shop window.
The attack brought Berlin’s western city centre to a standstill and the street remained closed for 10 hours for forensic investigation while the driver, a dual German-Armenian citizen, was questioned by police.
“We don’t know if it was an accident because of a medical emergency or a crime, that is what we are trying to clear up right now,” said Thilo Cablitz, spokesman for the Berlin police. “The driver was detained by passersby then arrested by a police colleague who was on the scene.”
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Police denied media reports he had left a confession or a manifesto but confirmed that posters had been found in the car, belonging to the driver’s sister.
The dead teacher and critically ill students – who had just finished their final school exams – were visiting from the town of Bad Arolsen, two hours north of Frankfurt.
The attack took place 400 metres from the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church, scene of the 2016 Christmas market attack that left 12 dead.
“This is a situation where you say, ‘please God, not again’,” said Franziska Giffey, Berlin’s governing mayor.
The church, which served as an emergency centre during the day, held a service on Wednesday evening for eyewitnesses, rescue workers and politicians.
Rev Ulrike Trautwein, a regional bishop for Berlin’s Lutheran church was nearby when the attack happened and spent the day listening to witnesses.
“We talked to people who told of what they had seen, the screams,” she said. “We know how important it is that people are not left alone.”
