Two people dead and driver arrested after car drives into crowd in German city of Mannheim

Two people have been killed and several others have been injured after a car was driven into a crowd of people in the western German city of Mannheim on Monday.

The car’s driver has been detained, and later police said there was no broader threat to the public.

The incident occurred as crowds gathered in cities across western Germany’s Rhineland for parades to mark the carnival season.

People were seen lying on the ground at the scene and at least two were being resuscitated, an eyewitness told Reuters.

German news organisations reported at least 25 people had been injured and that the suspect detained was a 40-year-old man from Germany.

Police declined to comment on the suspect’s identity.

A black SUV drove at high speed into a group of people, travelling from the centrally located Paradeplatz square towards the city’s landmark water tower, local media reported.

Items could be seen strewn across the thoroughfare and tram tracks, surrounded by emergency vehicles and personnel.