Several people were injured after a BMW was allegedly driven deliberately into a group of people in Neustadt am Rübenberge, near Hanover in northern Germany, shortly before midnight on Monday. The vehicle’s occupants fled after police fired shots at the car and remained at large, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing police.A police spokesperson said four to five people were injured, with injuries ranging from minor to serious. None of the injured was reported to be in a life-threatening condition, according to German broadcaster NDR. The injured were taken to hospitals.“The driver deliberately targeted them,” a police spokeswoman said, according to NDR, adding that the incident involved a “small group of people”.Police said a patrol conducting a routine traffic check nearby intervened during the incident, preventing further harm. Officers fired shots at the BMW in an attempt to stop it, but the occupants managed to escape.According to NDR, the suspects apparently fled on foot, leaving the vehicle behind. Police launched a search involving a helicopter and a police dog, but the operation had been unsuccessful at the time of reporting. Officers cordoned off the scene on Mecklenhorster Straße to collect evidence.Investigators believe the people involved may have known each other and that the group was deliberately targeted rather than struck at random. However, the motive and the precise circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.“The sequence of events and the precise involvement of those involved are still part of the investigation,” the police spokeswoman said, according to NDR.Images and video footage from the scene showed armed police officers, including personnel carrying submachine guns. The abandoned blue BMW reportedly had a flat front tyre. A silver Mercedes with a broken rear window was also seen nearby, although authorities had not established whether it was connected to the incident.Road closures remained in place in parts of Neustadt am Rübenberge, including the stretch between Ludwig-Enneccerus-Platz and Am Schützenplatz, via Herzog-Erich-Allee towards Hannoversche Street, NDR reported.Police are continuing their search for the suspects and investigating the circumstances of the incident. Authorities are yet to clarify the motive, establish the exact number of injured people or determine whether the nearby Mercedes was involved.