At about 11:58 p.m. on Monday, a BMW roared into a cluster of people gathered near the market square in Neustadt am Ruebenberge, a town 30 km north of Hanover, striking five individuals and leaving several with injuries ranging from minor to severe.
A patrol vehicle doing a routine traffic check snatched up the scene, halting the BMW before more people could be hurt. Officers fired warning shots, then full fire, according to a police spokesperson.
The two occupants of the vehicle, who were later identified as acquaintances of the crowd, escaped the scene and remain at large. The spokesperson said investigators are searching for the driver and the vehicle.
Police are now conducting a criminal inquiry, reviewing CCTV footage from the town square, and requesting the driver’s license and vehicle registration details. A statement from the local chief of police is expected by Friday as the investigation continues.