Berlin crash – latest: Teacher killed after car ploughs into Kurfuerstendamm crowd
The suspected driver of the vehicle has been detained, Berlin police confirmed
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Berlin officials have confirmed a teacher was killed after a car drove into pedestrians in a central shopping district in the German capital.
Police spokesman Martin Dams said the suspected driver of the vehicle, a 29-year-old man of dual German-Armenian citizenship, was detained by pedestrians before he was arrested by police in the incident that left at least a dozen people injured.
Posters “expressing views about Turkey” - which has troubled relations with Armenia - were found in the car that drove in the crowd, Berlin’s top security official Iris Spranger said. However, an interior ministry spokesperson said “it is too early to speculate about the background (of the incident).”
Germany’s Bild news cited an investigator saying: “This was by no means an accident - someone on the rampage, an ice-cold killer” in addition to reports that the driver of the Renault Clio car was known to police.
American actor John Barrowman was caught up in the incident he described as “horrific.”
BREAKING: Driver is 29-year-old German-Armenian man with dual citizenship
The driver of the car that hit a crowd of pedestrians near the popular Kurfuerstendamm shopping boulevard is a 29-year-old German-Armenian man with dual citizenship, Berlin police has told Sky News.
Police ask witnesses to submit footage of the incident
Berlin police has asked witnesses to send in footage of the crash and has asked the public not to distribute footage of the incident online.
Officers announced that they had detained a 29-year-old man of dual German-Armenian citizenship who is suspected to be the driver of the car. Police are still investigating whether the crash was intentional.
Police launch emergency line for relatives
Berlin police has opened a phone line for relative to contact family members affected by the crash this morning after one person was killed and dozens injured after a silver Renault crashed into a crowd on a busy shopping boulevard.
ICYMI: One dead and dozens injured after car ploughs into pedestrians in Berlin
If you’re just joining our live blog, we’re bringing the latest updates from Berlin where one person was killed and dozens injured this morning when a car drove into pedestrians in the German capital.
The incident happened near the popular Kurfuerstendamm shopping boulevard in the west of the German capital and more than 130 emergency personnel were on the scene, said officials.
Five of those injured have life-threatening injuries, officials said.
Read the full story below:
One dead and 30 injured after car ploughs into pedestrians in Berlin
‘It is not yet known whether it was an accident or a deliberate act,’ say police
No new updates on injuries - Berlin Police
Berlin police said it is not yet releasing further details of injuries until relatives have been informed.
Writing on Twitter, the force said: “Please understand that we do not disclose information about the injured before the relatives are informed.
“Psychosocial care is available on site for those affected and also for our emergency services.”
Pedestrians detained suspected driver before arrest
The suspected driver was apparently detained by passers-by before being arrested swiftly by a police officer who was near the scene, Thilo Cablitz said. Police are still trying to establish whether the 29-year-old German-Armenian man deliberately drove into pedestrians or whether it was an accident, possibly caused by a medical emergency.
Mr Cablitz said he didn't have more information on the man, who was driving a small car, or on what if anything he has told police so far.
Large numbers of rescue vehicles and first responders were at the scene.
Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey tweeted that she was "deeply shocked by this incident."
The car was going ‘at full throttle,’ witnesses say
According to witnesses of the incident this morning, the car was driving “at full throttle” and the driver made no attempt to slow down.
Police are still investigating whether the incident was accidental or an intentional attack. Pictures from the scene showed blankets covering what appeared to be a body in a cordoned-off area guarded by police.
‘It’s too early to speculate’ cause of incident, interior ministry spokesperson says
An interior ministry spokesperson said “it is too early to speculate” about what caused the incident this morning which left one dead and at least a dozen injured. Police have said it is not clear yet whether it was an accident or a deliberate act.
Berlin police has asked witnesses for footage of the incident and appealed to the public not to upload videos to social media.
According to reports from Bild, a the victim of the crash was a teacher.
Confession letter found in car that drove into Kurfuerstendamm crowd
A letter of confession was found in the car that drove into a crowd of people on a Berlin shopping street, killing one person, the Bild daily reported on Wednesday.
Bild cited an investigator as saying: "(This was) by no means an accident - someone on the rampage, an ice-cold killer."
German football star pays tribute to Berlin victims
German national team star Jerome Boateng paid tribute to the victims of the Berlin crash.
Writing a post on Twitter, the Lyon defender and Berlin native said: “My thoughts are with the victims and their families affected by that terrible act in my home town Berlin today.
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