Car apparently targets group near Hanover; police open fire, suspects flee

A car drove into a group of people in Neustadt am Rübenberge, near Hanover, late on Monday shortly before midnight, police said. Four to five people suffered minor to serious injuries and were taken to hospitals, a police spokeswoman said, adding that none was in a life-threatening condition. The incident happened near the town's Schützenplatz fairground. Officers conducting a routine traffic check nearby witnessed it directly and fired shots at the car to stop it.

The suspect or suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. A search involving numerous officers and a police helicopter was initially unsuccessful. Police said it was still unclear how many people were involved. A dpa reporter at the scene saw several damaged cars with flat tyres, a shattered rear window and bullet holes. The area was cordoned off while evidence was secured. Police had reported no arrests by the morning. It was not known whether anyone was hit by the police gunfire.

The motive remains unclear. Investigators' initial findings suggest those involved knew each other. The spokeswoman said the group appeared to have been targeted deliberately rather than at random, and that there was so far no indication of an attack. "The sequence of events and the exact involvement of those concerned remain part of the investigation," she said.