German deadly car attack suspect had far-right ties: Report

BERLIN

The suspect in Monday's deadly car rampage in the German city of Mannheim had ties to far-right groups, an investigative group has revealed.

According to Exif, a group that monitors neo-Nazi activities, 40-year-old Alexander Scheuermann had participated in far-right demonstrations in 2018. That same year, he received a fine for using unconstitutional symbols in social media posts.

These findings emerged after police and prosecutors had dismissed extremist motives in a Monday press release, citing mental illness as the likely cause.

Authorities supported their assessment with medical records and several corroborating witness statements. The suspect had been undergoing regular medical and psychiatric treatment, including an inpatient stay in 2024, according to police statements.

On Monday, the suspect drove into pedestrians in Mannheim's busy shopping district, killing two people and injuring fourteen others. He later shot himself with a blank-loaded gun and was taken to a hospital for treatment.