Berlin 'car bomb' kills male driver in German capital
The explosion occured around 8am local time in the western district of Charlottenburg
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A suspected car bomb has killed a man driving through the German capital of Berlin.
The explosion occurred around 8am local time in the western district of Charlottenburg. The driver reportedly died of serious injuries before an ambulance arrived.
Carsten Mueller, the deputy chief spokesman for Berlin police, said that "investigators are working on the assumption that it was an explosive device" inside or on the vehicle which caused the blast.
Berlin Police uploaded a picture of the wreckage of a silver VW Passat. The car's windows had been blown out and its front end smashed in.
"Our investigators believe it was an explosive device that caused the vehicle to explode," they said on Twitter.
German police have sealed off the area and investigators checked the car for more explosives. They said the car posed no further risk.
Prosecutors have identified the victim as a 43-year-old man previously investigated for dealing drugs, forgery and illegal gambling.
"There is no evidence of there being a terrorist background," a spokesman for Berlin police said.
It is unclear whether the driver, of Turkish background, was the target of the bomb, as he was not the owner of the car.
Investigators suspect a link to organised crime.
Additional reporting by agencies
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments