4 injured after German man rams car into crowd

BERLIN; Police detained a 50-year-old German man early on Tuesday on suspicion of ramming his car into a crowd of people in the northwestern German town of Bottrop, injuring four, in what authorities say may have been a xenophobic attack. The man, who fled the scene, made racist comments when he was later stopped and arrested, according to a statement by local police and prosecutors. “Investigators suspect it was a deliberate attack that may be linked to the xenophobic views of the driver,” the statement said. “In addition, investigators have preliminary information about a mental illness of the driver.” A police spokeswoman said Syrian and Afghan citizens were among those injured, but gave no further details. She said one of the four people injured remained in hospital.