At least two persons have been confirmed dead, and several others injured after a car plowed into a crowd in downtown Mannheim, a city in southwestern Germany, on Monday, local police said.

A suspect was arrested following an immediate search operation, authorities confirmed.

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Police have not yet disclosed the exact number of the injured or the severity of their conditions. Earlier, they said on the social media platform X that a police operation and emergency response were underway.

According to local media, the vehicle involved was a black SUV, with reports describing visible debris scattered at the scene.

It remains unclear whether the incident was an accident or an attack. Authorities have urged the public to avoid the city center and use alternative routes, warning of a potential threat.

A certain section of the local media reported that over 25 people have been injured, 15 of them seriously.

“According to eyewitness reports, the man drove his car from Friedrichsring into the several hundred meter long Planken, the main shopping street, and hit or knocked over several pedestrians at the height of the Paradeplatz. A carnival market with dozens of food stalls and rides is currently taking place on the Planken and around the water tower,” reported leading German daily Der Tagesspiegel.

The report added that debris was visible at the scene and images that went viral on social media showed the completely demolished black small car of the suspected driver, believed to be a 40-year-old German from Rhineland-Palatinate.