April 7, 2018

Downtown Muenster, North Rhein-Westphalia – Van Attack

Two people are dead and 20 others injured after a van slammed into a crowd Saturday in an apparently deliberate act in the German city of Muenster. The driver also shot and killed himself. The driver was a German citizen and, as of now, has no known connection to radical Islam but investigators are still looking into the driver’s background. There was a suspicious object in the vehicle that is still under investigation.

The attack happened in the old part of the western German city, an area popular on weekends. The driver drove a vehicle into a restaurant’s open terrace around 3:30 p.m. local time. The attack occurred on the one-year anniversary of a similar attack in Stockholm, Sweden when a stolen beer truck struck pedestrians, killing five people.

The old city remains closed and local authorities are asking everyone to avoid the area.

Actions to Take:
•        Avoid the area.
•        Monitor local media for updates.
•        Be aware of your surroundings.

 

Assistance:

U.S. Consulate General-Frankfurt, Germany
+49 69 7537 0 (after hours)

https://de.usembassy.gov/

State Department – Consular Affairs 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444

If you should have any questions or concerns or wish to request an update on a given situation in a foreign country do not hesitate to contact the following:

Rick Phillips                                                                         Cody Cobb                                                                                                                            (706) 886-9929 = direct                                               (706) 225-2526 = direct                                                                                            (706) 491-9888 = mobile                                              (706) 491-5138 = mobile                                             rickphillips@jrphillips.com                                         ccobb@jrphillips.com