Berlin/Neustadt am Rübenberge: Several people were injured after a car drove into a group of people in the northern German town of Neustadt am Rübenberge, close to Hanover, shortly before midnight on Monday, a police spokesperson said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. A BMW was driven deliberately into the group, leaving four to five people with injuries ranging from minor to severe; none of the injured was in a life-threatening condition, and they were taken to hospital. Germany's dpa news agency carried the same police account, putting the injured at four or five, some seriously.

Source: Reuters

A police patrol that was nearby carrying out a routine traffic check intervened during the incident and, police said, prevented further harm. Officers opened fire on the car in an attempt to stop it — a dpa reporter at the scene described several damaged cars, flat tyres, a smashed rear window and bullet holes — but the car's occupants fled on foot, leaving the vehicle behind, and remained at large at the time of reporting. Numerous officers and a helicopter took part in the initial search, which was at first unsuccessful, dpa reported.

Source: dpa (via Ekkow)

Initial investigations suggested those involved knew each other, and the police spokesperson said the suspects had apparently targeted the group deliberately rather than at random. The precise circumstances and the motive remained unclear, and the sequence of events and each person's involvement are still part of the investigation, the spokesperson said. Police cordoned off the scene to collect evidence; one report, citing German broadcaster NDR, placed the cordon on Mecklenhorster Straße in the town.

Source: 7Globe (Reuters/NDR)

No deaths were reported in the incident. Awaaz Punjab is reporting only what the police statements carried by Reuters and dpa establish; claims about why the group was targeted have not been made by police, and this report will be updated if police name a motive or report arrests.