A man apparently drove a car into pedestrians in a central square in the city of Heidelberg, injuring three people, then fled and was shot after being tracked down by officers. Picture: AP.

The man, who is believed to have been carrying a knife, then got out of his rental car, another police spokesman, Norbert Schaetzle, told n-TV television. He was intercepted by a police patrol and shot by an officer following a short standoff. He has been taken to a hospital.

There was no immediate word on the man’s possible motives or where he came from. Schaetzle said he couldn’t confirm local media reports that the man was mentally disturbed, but said a terrorist background is not suspected and the man appears to have acted alone.