12 Dead, 18 Injured after Berlin Christmas market attack
Dec 20, 2016 1:33:07 GMT -5
Post by PurplePuppy on Dec 20, 2016 1:33:07 GMT -5
How Christmas market carnage unfolded: 'Afghan refugee hijacked HGV and killed the driver' before turning lights off and driving stolen lorry into shoppers at 40mph killing 12 and injuring 48
At least 48 injured and 12 dead after truck mowed down shoppers at 40mph in a busy Christmas market
Berlin police confirmed that they believe the truck was 'intentionally' driven into the crowd
Incident 'likely' to be a terror attack after Polish-registered lorry understood to have been stolen by a refugee
The original driver, a Polish national transporting steel beams, was found dead inside the 25-tonne vehicle
Police using Twitter to urge locals to stay indoors and check 'suspicious items' as Angela Merkel is 'mourning'
By AMIE GORDON and JAMES DUNN and MATT HUNTER and STEPHANIE LINNING and DARREN BOYLE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 14:33 EST, 19 December 2016 | UPDATED: 01:14 EST, 20 December 2016
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A refugee is thought to have been behind the wheel of a 25-tonne articulated lorry which mowed down and killed 12 people - and injured 48 others - as it sped at 40mph through a busy Christmas market in Berlin.
The vehicle laden with steel cargo mounted the pavement at 7pm, before tearing through stalls and shoppers on Breitscheidplatz Square, outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the German capital's main shopping area.
The man at the wheel - who according to German newspaper Berliner used different aliases, was of Afghan heritage and had arrived in Germany in February - fled the scene before being arrested at a nearby zoo.
Police confirmed the original driver, who was transporting steel beams from Poland to Germany, was a Polish national who was found dead in the lorry's cabin. It is thought he was hijacked.
They also confirmed on Twitter that they believe the truck was 'intentionally' driven into the festive crowds.
As German police, the White House and Germany's top security official indicated the incident was likely terror related, there was a chilling echo of the deadly terror attack in the French city of Nice in July. It also came just one hour after the Russian ambassador was shot dead in Ankara.
The harrowing incident also comes amid repeated warnings from various security agencies that ISIS planned to wreak havoc on European countries during the festive season, specifically threatening Christmas markets.
Full story with pictures and video at link
At least 48 injured and 12 dead after truck mowed down shoppers at 40mph in a busy Christmas market
Berlin police confirmed that they believe the truck was 'intentionally' driven into the crowd
Incident 'likely' to be a terror attack after Polish-registered lorry understood to have been stolen by a refugee
The original driver, a Polish national transporting steel beams, was found dead inside the 25-tonne vehicle
Police using Twitter to urge locals to stay indoors and check 'suspicious items' as Angela Merkel is 'mourning'
By AMIE GORDON and JAMES DUNN and MATT HUNTER and STEPHANIE LINNING and DARREN BOYLE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 14:33 EST, 19 December 2016 | UPDATED: 01:14 EST, 20 December 2016
14k
shares
2.8k
View comments
A refugee is thought to have been behind the wheel of a 25-tonne articulated lorry which mowed down and killed 12 people - and injured 48 others - as it sped at 40mph through a busy Christmas market in Berlin.
The vehicle laden with steel cargo mounted the pavement at 7pm, before tearing through stalls and shoppers on Breitscheidplatz Square, outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the German capital's main shopping area.
The man at the wheel - who according to German newspaper Berliner used different aliases, was of Afghan heritage and had arrived in Germany in February - fled the scene before being arrested at a nearby zoo.
Police confirmed the original driver, who was transporting steel beams from Poland to Germany, was a Polish national who was found dead in the lorry's cabin. It is thought he was hijacked.
They also confirmed on Twitter that they believe the truck was 'intentionally' driven into the festive crowds.
As German police, the White House and Germany's top security official indicated the incident was likely terror related, there was a chilling echo of the deadly terror attack in the French city of Nice in July. It also came just one hour after the Russian ambassador was shot dead in Ankara.
The harrowing incident also comes amid repeated warnings from various security agencies that ISIS planned to wreak havoc on European countries during the festive season, specifically threatening Christmas markets.
Full story with pictures and video at link