The alleged attacker’s motivations are unclear and there are no known links to Islamic extremism.
Footage from the scene shows numerous emergency service vehicles attending while people lie on the ground.
Unconfirmed footage posted on social media shows a car plowing into a crowd at a market.
A spokesperson for the city of Magdeburg said all hospitals in the region were prepared for a “mass casualty event,” according to Reuters.
City officials said there were about 100 firefighters and 50 rescue workers at the scene.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said reports from Magdeburg “make us fear the worst.”
He added: “My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. We stand with them and all Magdeburg residents. We thank all emergency services during this difficult time.”
Scholz will visit the city on Saturday, Haseloff said.
At approximately 19:20 local time (18:20 GMT), Christmas market organizers announced that they had closed the event in response to requests “for understanding.”
Moments later they urged the public to avoid the market. They wrote on social media, “Please let the emergency services do their job and leave the market in an orderly manner.”
