Jump to content

2016 Berlin truck attack

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Emily Goldstein (talk | contribs) at 01:14, 20 December 2016. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2016 Berlin Christmas market truck attack
The Berlin Christmas market in 2009. The attack occurred outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
LocationBreitscheidplatz Edit this on Wikidata
Coordinates52°30′19″N 13°20′04″E / 52.50528°N 13.33444°E / 52.50528; 13.33444
Date19 December 2016 (2016-12-19)
circa 20:00 CET
Attack type
Vehicular assault
Deaths12[1]
Injured48[1]

On 19 December 2016, at about 20:00 local time, a refugee drove a truck though a Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, Germany, killing twelve people and injuring 48 others.[1]

Attack

The truck drove 50–80 metres (160–260 ft), crossed a sidewalk at Breitscheidplatz and destroyed booths.[2] Local police stated that the vehicle came from the direction of Budapester Strasse before finally coming to rest in front of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.[3] One person was found dead in the passenger seat of the truck cab while the driver was reported to have fled towards the Victory Column and has been taken into custody.[4]

Arrest

A suspect, believed to be the driver, has been taken into custody.[5][6] Die Welt and N24 reported that the suspect is a Pakistani refugee.[7][8] Deutsche Welle reported the alleged suspect is a refugee who could be Afghan or Pakistani.[9]

Vehicle

The vehicle involved was a black Scania semi-trailer truck.[6] The truck bore Polish number plates and belonged to a Polish delivery company, Usługi Transportowe Ariel Żurawski, which is based in Sobiemyśl.[10]

According to the head of the delivery company, his cousin was driving the truck to Berlin, but that he could not imagine his cousin causing the crash.[11] The company last contacted the driver between 15:00 and 16:00, when the driver reported that he had arrived too late at the destination company in Berlin and that he was having to wait there overnight and unload his truck the following morning.[11][12] The truck was on its return leg to Poland, having started in Italy.[11] The family had been unable to contact the driver since 16:00.[13] The company that owns the truck suspected the truck was hijacked.[11]

Reactions

Even before German officials determined whether the attack was intentional, a spokesman for the United States National Security Council called it an apparent terrorist attack.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Berlin truck crash: 12 dead in 'apparent terrorist attack' at Christmas market – live". The Guardian. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Polizei: Neun Tote bei Anschlag auf Berliner Weihnachtsmarkt". Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten. December 19, 2016.
  3. ^ Rawlinson, Kevin; Lawther, Kate Connolly Fran (2016-12-19). "Berlin: at least nine dead after truck crashes into Christmas market". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  4. ^ a b Kirschbaum, Erik (19 December 2016). "U.S. official calls killings in Berlin Christmas market an apparent 'terrorist attack'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  5. ^ "BNO News on Twitter". Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Suspected driver of lorry that ploughed into Berlin Christmas market arrested". 19 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  7. ^ "truck driver said to have come as a refugee to Germany". Welt und N24. Retrieved 20 December 2016. According to information from the "Welt" the driver is a Pakistani refugee.
  8. ^ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/19/berlin-truck-driver-was-refugee-pakistan-report/
  9. ^ "The suspected alleged driver could be a Pakistani or Afghan as a result of security crises. He was a refugee". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 20 December 2016. The suspected alleged driver could be a Pakistani or Afghan as a result of insecurity there. He is a refugee.
  10. ^ www.money.pl/gospodarka/wiadomosci/artykul/zurawski-ciezarowka-kierowca-polska-zamach,245,0,2222325.html
  11. ^ a b c d Jamieson, Amber (2016-12-19). "Berlin truck crash: 'suspicious person' arrested after nine killed at Christmas market – live". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  12. ^ http://ekstrabladet.dk/112/koerte-lastbil-ind-i-folkemaengde-en-gerningsmand-anholdt-og-en-doed/6459633
  13. ^ http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/atak-terrorystyczny-w-berlinie-ciezarowka-wjechala-w-tlum-na-jarmarku-relacja/8bqhv99
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2016_Berlin_truck_attack&oldid=755761678"