Leipzig hit-and-run: Public Prosecutor’s Office brings charges against a 33-year-old man

This news also caused a stir internationally: on 4 May 2026, a 33-year-old man drove a VW Taigo at high speed through the pedestrian zone on Grimmaische Straße, killing two people and injuring several others, some seriously. The public prosecutor’s office has now officially charged the driver with, amongst other things, two counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder. The question of his criminal responsibility is likely to be of particular interest.

Around four months after the rampage in Leipzig city centre, charges have been brought against a Leipzig resident. As the local public prosecutor’s office announced today, it is charging Jeffrey K., who was 33 at the time of the offence, with with two counts of murder in a single act, in conjunction with 85 counts of attempted murder, 91 counts of causing serious and dangerous disruption to road traffic in a single act, and eight counts of causing grievous bodily harm in a single act.

According to the public prosecutor’s office, he intended to kill many people

On the afternoon of 4 May 2026, a Monday, Jeffrey K., according to current information, had, at around 4.45 pm, sped several hundred metres from the direction of Augustusplatz along Grimmaische Straße in a VW Taigo. In the busy pedestrian zone, he struck several people; for a 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman, help came too late.

In the public prosecutor’s view, Jeffrey K. had planned to kill many more people. Following extensive investigations, it therefore assumes that 85 attempted murders took place. According to the prosecution, eight people were injured, four of them as a result of direct contact with the speeding VW Taigo, which was being driven by Jeffrey K.

But why did he commit such a horrific act? Shortly after the incident, it was reported that the triggers were believed to lie in his private life. At the time, it was stated that there were no indications of a political or religious motive.

No evidence of diminished responsibility according to preliminary expert report

The prosecution is currently proceeding on the basis that the murders were characterised by malice aforethought, otherwise trivial motives and the use of a means dangerous to the public.

Particularly controversial: the question of whether Jeffrey K. might have acted whilst lacking criminal responsibility, or at least with severely impaired criminal responsibility, has been ruled out following the findings of a preliminary expert report. Here, the forensic psychiatric expert concludes that the accused did not have diminished criminal responsibility or be entirely incapable of criminal responsibility.

The public prosecutor’s office has therefore applied to have the detention order against Jeffrey K. lifted and for him to be remanded in custody. It is reported that the Regional Court has not yet issued a ruling. Shortly after the offence, Jeffrey K. had been ordered by a judge to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

His court-appointed defence lawyer, Dr Malte Heise, had stated in response to an enquiry from the LZ that it must be provisionally established that ‘there are clear indications that his capacity to be held criminally responsible was impaired at the time of the offence’. However, he added that it must be left to the expert to assess the extent of any such impairment.

Defence lawyer sees no risk to himself

Dr Malte Heise is regarded as a level-headed and experienced criminal defence lawyer who has already represented defendants in a large number of high-profile trials. For example, at the Leipzig Regional Court, he represented, amongst others, the murderers of Mitja (aged 9) in 2007 and Michelle (aged 8) in 2009.

It is not uncommon for lawyers in such cases to be subjected to abuse and hostility, as if their aim were to defend heinous crimes rather than a human being. Dr Malte Heise, however, told the LZ in May that he does not fear any particular threat to his personal safety even now: “All the insults directed at me in the past as a result of my work as a defence lawyer were anonymous and ended up in the bin. Presumably, one cannot expect everyone to understand the role and function of the defence in criminal proceedings, as envisaged by the Code of Criminal Procedure.”

Jeffrey K., who is known to the police but has no previous convictions, has so far made no statement to the investigators regarding the allegations against him. It is now up to the Regional Court to decide whether to open a trial and to set trial dates.