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A devastating incident unfolded in Munich, Germany, when a vehicle crashed into a Ver.di trade union demonstration on Thursday morning, leaving at least 28 people injured.

The Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann confirmed that the suspect, an Afghan asylum seeker from Kabul with a history of drug-related offenses and theft, was already known to law enforcement. The incident is now being investigated as a deliberate attack, with authorities noting that the vehicle accelerated into the crowd after passing a police vehicle, prompting an officer to discharge their weapon at the car.

Particularly concerning was the discovery of an overturned baby stroller near the crash site. The timing of this incident is especially sensitive, occurring just one day before the scheduled Munich Security Conference, a significant gathering of global security policymakers.

Earlier reports indicated that the incident took place on Seidlstraße, involving what was initially described as a “young male” driver. While some German media outlets, including Die Welt, reported severe injuries among the victims, with some potentially life-threatening, official casualty figures remained unconfirmed. The Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that Ver.di march organizers claimed one woman had died and several children were among the injured, with one requiring on-site resuscitation.

Eyewitness accounts varied, with some describing a deliberate acceleration into the crowd while others suggested it might have been accidental. According to BR24, witnesses reported that police found the driver locked inside his vehicle and fired shots at it. Bild cited police sources identifying the suspect as a 26-year-old Afghan national.

Law enforcement officials, while investigating all possibilities, have not officially classified the incident as either intentional or accidental. They are currently seeking witnesses and any available photo or video evidence of the event.

This incident precedes the arrival of numerous world leaders, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who are scheduled to attend the upcoming Munich Security Conference.