Several dead as car rams into pedestrians in Germany

At least four people including a baby, have been killed and up to 15 injured when they were hit by a car in a pedestrian area of the western German city of Trier, the city's mayor said, according to public broadcaster SWR.

German public prosecutor Peter Fritzen said the rampage driver has 'possible psychiatric problems’ and was drunk during attack but does not seem to have prior convictions 

Police said several people had been killed, having earlier put the death toll at two.

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'Amok driver'

Mayor Wolfram Leibe had rushed to the scene.

"We have an amok driver in the city. We have two dead that we are certain of and up to 15 injured, some of them with the most severe injuries," he told SWR.

"We are just trying to get an overview. We have ambulances from all over the region helping here. Our first task now is to make people safe."

There was no immediate indication of the possible motive.

The Trierischer Volksfreund local newspaper quoted an eyewitness as saying a dark grey Range Rover was driving at high speed and people had been thrown through the air.

It said the city centre had been cordoned off and helicopters were circling overhead.

Parents were asked to pick up their children from school, the newspaper added.

Municipal authorities warned people to stay away from the city centre. The fire brigade, rescue services, and police were at the scene.