A German man has been sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered into psychiatric care after deliberately driving a car into a crowded market, killing two people and injuring dozens more.
The Horrific Carnival Attack
The incident occurred in March in the bustling Paradeplatz area of downtown Mannheim. Alexander S., a 40-year-old from Ludwigshafen, accelerated a Ford Fiesta into a group of people at around 12:15pm. The attack claimed the lives of an 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man, sending terrified shoppers fleeing in panic.
His path was eventually blocked by a taxi driver. In response, Alexander S. fired a blank-firing pistol into the air before abandoning the car and attempting to escape on foot. When armed police officers moved in to arrest him, the suspect turned the weapon on himself, inflicting catastrophic injuries by placing it in his mouth and pulling the trigger.
A Troubled Perpetrator and a Chilling Note
Following a trial, Alexander S. was found guilty of two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors stated he had been 'suffering from a mental illness for many years' and successfully argued for his placement in a secure psychiatric facility. Investigations found no evidence of a political motive.
However, a deeply disturbing note was discovered taped to the car's dashboard. It contained mathematical formulas for calculating the stopping distance of a car travelling at 50km/h (31mph). The note also featured childlike drawings, including a bizarre grinning face with its tongue out, flanked by two hearts, and a sketch of a car and a person with the phrase 'Dani bremst' (Dani brakes).
Authorities confirmed Alexander S. was well known to them due to a long and documented history of serious psychological issues. Described as increasingly isolated, with no partner or children, his case has raised serious questions about why he was not being monitored prior to the violent breakdown.
Broader Context and Security Response
The Mannheim tragedy was one of several vehicle-ramming attacks to shock Germany in recent months. These include a deadly incident at a Magdeburg Christmas market in December and another in Munich in February where a mother and her two-year-old daughter were killed.
In the wake of the Mannheim attack, police patrols were immediately intensified across Germany. High-visibility officers were deployed in cities hosting carnival celebrations, and pedestrian zones were placed under heightened surveillance. In Ulm, police significantly increased their presence at Fasnacht events to strengthen the public's sense of security.
