A mother, 37, and her two-year-old daughter have died from injuries sustained in Thursday’s car attack in Munich, Germany, police say.
A car rammed into a crowd at a trade union event, injuring at least 37 people.
According to authorities, the driver was a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker named Farhad N. He was apprehended on the scene, and authorities claim he acknowledged carrying out the crime. According to officials, he looked to be motivated by religion.
The mother and child were among those transported to the hospital with significant injuries following the attack.
“Unfortunately, we have to confirm the deaths today of the two-year-old child and her 37-year-old mother,” police spokesman Ludwig Waldinger told news agency AFP on Saturday.
The car ramming into the crowd has refocused attention on security issues in the week leading up to Germany’s parliamentary elections.
Immigrants have carried out a series of attacks in Munich; two of them are claimed to be from Afghanistan.
The attack also took place on the eve of the Munich Security Conference, which begins on Friday.
Upon his arrival in the city on Friday, US Vice President JD Vance extended his condolences to the victims of the incident.
According to German authorities, the suspect came to Germany in 2016 and, although being denied asylum, was allowed to stay because he risked deportation back to Afghanistan. He held a valid residency and employment permit.
He had no prior criminal record, and authorities claimed there was no proof of ties to a terrorist organization. Police also believe he acted alone.
During questioning on Friday, police said the man admitted to purposely driving his Mini Cooper into the crowd.
According to Munich public prosecutor Gabriele Tilmann, the suspect said “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest in Arabic) when he was caught. She suggested he “might have had an Islamist.”
