Death toll rises to five in German Christmas market attack as holiday cheer turns to mourning

Germany’s festive holiday preparations turned to mourning Saturday as officials acknowledged at least five died and more than 200 were injured when a Saudi doctor intentionally plowed his car through a Christmas marketplace.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the scene of the Friday night terror attack and warned the toll could rise because many of the victims were clinging to life.

“What a terrible act it is to injure and kill so many people there with such brutality,” Scholz said. “Almost 40 are so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them.

One of the dead was a young child, and authorities were trying to piece together why a 50-year-old Saudi doctor drove his car through a marketplace teaming with Christmas shoppers. 

The attack rocked the city of Magdeburg, a serene community of about 240,000 people west of the German capital of Berlin.