German Police Confirm 18 Children Injured in Car Ramming Incident in Volkmarsen

A driver rammed into a crowd earlier this week, as people were celebrating Rose Monday - a traditional carnival event before the start of Lent.

At least 18 children are among the 52 injured in the German city of Volkmarsen, police announced on Tuesday.

"Among the victims are 18 children (while)... at present 35 people are still undergoing treatment in the hospital and 17 were already able to leave", police in Hesse stated on Twitter.

#Volkmarsen

Aktuell befinden sich noch 35 Personen in stationärer Behandlung im KH.

Weitere 17 wurden ambulant behandelt & konnten das KH bereits verlassen.

Unter den Opfern befinden sich auch 18 Kinder.

Das Motiv des Täters ist noch unklar. Die Ermittlungen laufen weiterhin.

— Polizei Nordhessen (@Polizei_NH) February 25, 2020

​The driver, who was detained immediately after the incident, was identified as a 29-year-old German citizen.

Police forensic officers work at the scene after a car ploughed into a carnival parade injuring several people in Volkmarsen, Germany February 24, 2020.

© REUTERS / THILO SCHMUELGEN

The local authorities say they're not ruling out terrorist motives behind the attack, however, there is no official information on the matter right now.

The ramming incident occurred less than a week after a deadly shooting in Hanau, western Germany claimed nine lives, with the suspect allegedly killing his mother and committing suicide after the attack.