BMW HITS PEDESTRIANS IN GERMAN TOWN

Police said a BMW drove into a group of pedestrians in Neustadt am Rübenberge, near Hanover, shortly before midnight on Monday. Between four and five people suffered injuries ranging from minor to serious, according to police. Officers said they did not believe any of the injuries were life-threatening. Several people were inside the BMW, and its occupants fled on foot after the collision. Investigators believe the driver struck the group deliberately.

Officers conducting a routine traffic check nearby intervened as the occupants escaped. Police fired at the fleeing suspects, and bullets struck several vehicles at the scene. Emergency crews took the injured people to hospital. An emergency helicopter and police dogs also went to Neustadt am Rübenberge. Police continued searching for the occupants after the shooting.

Investigators have not established a motive for the collision. One initial line of inquiry concerns a possible personal grudge against people in the group and whether the driver chose them deliberately. Police have not confirmed that account. A force spokesperson said: “We are not investigating a terrorist attack.” The people who fled remained at large as officers continued their investigation.