A 40-year-old German man from Ludwigshafen has been detained in connection with the car ramming attack in Mannheim that left at least two people dead and 11 others injured. Authorities identified the suspect as having prior convictions, including one for drunk driving and another for hate speech in 2018, which was classified as a politically motivated right-wing crime.

The suspect allegedly drove a dark-colored compact SUV at high speed into pedestrians in Mannheim’s Paradeplatz, a busy shopping area, around noon on Monday. The area was particularly crowded due to a carnival market taking place. Investigators said he shot himself in the mouth with a blank gun after the attack and was taken to the hospital, where he remains in stable condition. He has been charged with murder and attempted murder.

During a press conference, Chief Public Prosecutor Romeo Schüssler stated that there are indications the man suffers from mental illness, which is a key focus of the investigation. Local media have reported that his name is "Alexander S."

The victims of the attack have been identified as an 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man. Initially, authorities reported 10 injuries, but that number has since been revised to 11. The attack comes just weeks after a similar car ramming incident in Munich, where a mother and child were killed, and months after a deadly December attack in Magdeburg that left six people dead and more than 200 injured at a Christmas market.

Mannheim, a city of about 300,000 people located 80 kilometers south of Frankfurt, is one of several German cities holding carnival celebrations this week. While Mannheim’s main parade took place on Sunday, the city center remained busy on Monday. In response to the attack, authorities in Heidelberg, Schwetzingen, and Brühl have canceled their carnival festivities scheduled for Tuesday.

The attack has prompted reactions from German political leaders. Friedrich Merz, who is expected to become Germany’s next chancellor, called it a reminder that more must be done to prevent such violent acts. Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed condolences, saying, "We mourn with the families of the victims of a senseless act of violence."