UPDATE 4 - Germany: Van plows into crowd, causing several deaths

ADDS REMARKS FROM INTERIOR MINISTER CLARIFYING DEATH TOLL, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - At least two people are dead and 20 injured after a van drove into a crowd in the German city of Muenster on Saturday, said officials.

Herbert Reul, the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, said three people, including the driver, died in the incident.

“The suspected attacker, who drove his car into a group of people, was a German citizen, and not a refugee as claimed by some people, according to our information at this early stage of the investigation,” Reul told reporters at the scene.

Earlier, the Interior Ministry said four people had died, but Reul revised the number to three, including the suspect, who was found dead in the van.

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

Police searched the suspect’s house for explosives Saturday evening, it reported.

Muenster’s Mayor Markus Lewe told reporters that police were still investigating the crash.

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

Twenty people were injured in the incident in the town’s historic center. Six of them suffered severe injuries, and several were in critical condition, local media reported.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim offered his condolences following the deadly attack, according to the premier's office.

Yildirim, who is on an official visit to Mongolia, sent a condolence message to German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the incident.

*Mumin Altas from Mongolia contributed to the story.