Car ploughs into school trip teenagers killing teacher in Berlin

Eight people were taken to hospital -- five in a life-threatening condition, the fire service said

A German-Armenian man drove into a crowd in a busy shopping district in Berlin on Wednesday, mowing down a group of teenagers and killing their teacher before crashing through a shop window.

The incident happened at around 10:30 am (0830 GMT) just across from Breitscheidplatz, where an Islamic State group sympathiser deliberately ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in 2016, killing 12.

It was not clear whether the crash was intentional. The driver, 29, was being questioned, police told AFP. 

It then rammed into the shop front on Marburger Strasse about 150 to 200 metres (165 to 220 yards) away.

- 'Happened so fast' -

Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik said the driver was in hospital and "at this time, we do not have conclusive evidence of a political act".

Spranger earlier denied media reports a letter of confession was found in the car, but said there were "posters with remarks about Turkey".

Frank Vittchen, a witness at the scene, told AFP he was sitting at a fountain nearby when he "heard a big crash and then also saw a person fly through the air". 

"It all happened so fast," he said.

- 'Concerned and shocked' -

Germany has been on high alert for car ramming attacks since the deadly 2016 Christmas market assault, with most carried out by people who were found to have psychological issues.

Earlier the same year, a German man rammed his car through a carnival procession in the central town of Volkmarsen, injuring dozens of bystanders, including children. He was sentenced to life in jail last year.

In April 2018, a German crashed his van into people seated outside a restaurant in the city of Muenster, killing five before shooting himself dead. Investigators later said he had mental health problems.

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