UPDATE 2 - Germany: Van plows into crowd causing several deaths

UPDATES WITH REPORTS ON IDENTITY OF SUSPECTED ATTACKER

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - At least three people died after a van drove into a crowd in the western German city of Munster, interior ministry confirmed on Saturday.

A spokesman from the ministry told German press agency DPA that three people sitting outside a restaurant were killed in the incident, and the suspect was found dead within the car.

German weekly Der Spiegel reported on its internet site that the suspected attacker was a German citizen Jens R. who suffered from psychological problems.

Police searched the house of the suspect for explosives, the weekly reported.

Munster’s Mayor Markus Lewe told reporters earlier that the police was still investigating the background of the crash.

“For the time being, we still do not know the motive,” he said.

Nearly 30 people were injured in the incident in the town’s historic center.

Six of them suffered severe injuries, and several of them were in critical condition, the local media reported.