The German driver accused of intentionally driving into a crowd in Leipzig, admitted to a psychiatric hospital. The judges invoke the risk of repetition
The 33-year-old man accused of intentionally driving his car into a crowd in the center of Leipzig has been brought before a German court. Following the incident of the past few days, two people died and six were injured, two of them seriously. The man was also admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Two people died as a result of the incident. PHOTO: X/@eugyppius1
A judge decided to commit him to a psychiatric hospital, declaring that there is “good reasons” to believe that the suspect had significantly impaired judgment at the time of the tragedy, according to Deutsche Welle.
According to German authorities, the two people who lost their lives are a 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman. The other six victims, aged between 21 and 87, were taken to hospital, two of them in serious condition.
The judge motivated the internment measure by the existence of the risk that the defendant would commit in the future “other serious illegal acts of comparable gravity”, if he will not benefit from specialized treatment. The court considered that the suspect was located “in a state of at least significantly diminished responsibility” at the time of the attack.
Investigators say the incident was a deliberate act, and the man allegedly aimed to “kill and seriously injure as many people as possible.” However, prosecutors said that, so far, there are no indications that the attack was religiously or politically motivated.
The investigation revealed that the suspect had been voluntarily admitted to a psychiatric clinic between April 17 and 29, just a few days before the tragedy, for specialized treatment. The regional health authorities told the AFP agency that, during that period, the man was not considered a danger to himself or those around him, which is why he was allowed to be discharged.
He is currently being investigated for double homicide and multiple attempted murders. The investigation is ongoing.
