A man who drove a van into a group of people in the city of Münster‬‬ in western Germany, killing at least two before shooting himself dead, had no Islamic extremist ties, a Germany security official has said.

Herbert Reul, the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Münster is located, said the driver was a German citizen.

He stressed the investigation is at an early stage but said "at the moment, nothing speaks for there being any Islamist background."

Mr Reul added: "we are investigating in all directions."

He said two people were killed in the crash and the driver then killed himself.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported the perpetrator was Jens R, a 48-year-old man who lived around 2km (1.2 miles) from the crime scene.

Broadcaster ZDF said police were searching his apartment and he had contact with far-right extremists, but there was no evidence so far that he was an extremist himself.

The German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the driver is believed to be a middle-aged man who had psychological issues.

His apartment was being searched for possible explosives, the paper added, citing information it had obtained but giving no specific source.

The vehicle ploughed into people sitting at tables outside the Grosser Kiepenkerl restaurant.

"At 15.27 (13.27 GMT), a vehicle drove into the outside area of the restaurant... three people were killed, 20 injured, and six of those seriously injured," police spokesman Andreas Bode said.

He added: "The perpetrator killed himself in the vehicle."

Mr Bode said the identity of the perpetrator was not yet clear.

Police guard the streets of downtown Münster‬‬ following the crash (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)

Investigators were looking at the possibility that other suspects fled the scene, though they had no evidence this was the case, he added.

"It is far too early to speak of an attack," Mr Bode said.