Germany Van Attack: At least 3 dead, 20 injured

World
Europe

At least three people have been killed and twenty others injured after a van ploughed into pedestrians on Saturday outside a cafe in Germany. CGTN's Guy Henderson reports.

It was probably not what many feared it might have been.

RALF JAGER, INTERIOR MINISTER NORTH RHINE WESTPHALIA "The perpetrator was a German citizen and not as it was everywhere alleged a refugee or something similar. The details are being thoroughly examined. Because of that it can't now be said what was the background. There is nothing saying at the moment that there was any Islamist background."

Hours earlier, the peace was shattered in the west German town of Muenster.

This was the scene moments after a van rammed cafe-goers leaving people dead and seriously injured including the attacker who police say shot himself.

Authorities locked down the center - there was still a potential threat.

ANDREAS BRODE GERMAN POLICE "There was possibly a suspicious object in the vehicle, but the investigation is ongoing into what kind of object it is."

By earlier evening though, special forces had raided a nearby home believed to be that of the suspect involved in the incident.

In Berlin, the lights were on at the German Chancellery: Angela Merkel had been in touch with regional officials by phone.

GUY HENDERSON BERLIN Authorities here have identified the driver as a German citizen yet details of a motive still remain unknown as investigation is still in its early phase. GH, CGTN, BERLIN.