At least eight people were injured, with four in critical condition, after a man ploughed his car through a crowd in Italy’s Modena.
While no one was killed, Modena’s mayor has condemned the incident as a “serious attack.” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also called the incident “extremely serious.”
“What happened today in Modena, where a man ran over several pedestrians and then allegedly stabbed a passerby, is extremely serious. I express my closeness to the injured people and their families. I also extend my thanks to the citizens who bravely intervened to stop the perpetrator and to the law enforcement agencies for their response,” Meloni wrote on X.
Mayor Massimo Mezzetti said that a woman was pinned against a shop window and required the amputation of both legs due to the crash.
‘Drove onto sidewalk, sent people flying’
Mezzetti further told the media that the car entered one of the city’s main streets and “drove onto the sidewalk”
“The man drove onto the sidewalk, sending several people flying, before crashing into the shop window,” said Modena’s mayor.
The driver was taken into police custody after he was stopped by people involved in the crash from fleeing the scene.
Witnesses added that the driver, who has been identified as a 31-year-old, was holding a knife when he tried to flee, but did not stab anyone.
“He was seen with a knife in his hand, but he didn’t manage to stab anyone. It seems like he was trying to hit someone. We need to understand what’s behind this act. But it was a dramatic event. I am deeply shaken. Whatever it was, it was extremely serious. If it turns out to be an attack, that would be even more serious,” Mezzetti was quoted as saying by local press.
The driver is believed to be a native of Bergamo, Lombardy and was living in Modena. As the investigation continues, authorities are trying to ascertain if the man was under the influence of substances or acted deliberately.
(With inputs from AP)
