The man reportedly set fire to two buildings, before ramming a store with a van and threatening people with machetes.
A 41-year-old Syrian national wounded 31 people, including two children who were left in critical condition, in arson attacks on Saturday in the German city of Essen, according to police and media reports from Sunday morning.
At around 5:10 PM on Saturday, the man set fire to a residential building on Altenessener Strasse and the corner of Pielsticker Strasse, according to Bild. He later drove a few streets over, where he set fire to a second residence.
The fire service said that 31 people were wounded in the arson attacks, while Essen police placed the number at 30.