Car ploughs into crowd in Italy’s Modena, injuring eight

A man drove a car into a crowd in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday, injuring eight people, four of them seriously, Mayor Massimo Mezzetti said.

Mezzetti told journalists in a briefing that a female German tourist was among those seriously injured, as was a person from Poland.

The attack occurred in the afternoon in Modena’s historic centre, where the vehicle sped into a street in the old town. According to the mayor, the driver deliberately mounted the pavement at high speed and struck a group of pedestrians.

The suspect then attempted to flee, leaving the car while holding a knife, several witnesses reported.

Bystanders pursued the man and managed to overpower him. He was arrested and questioned by police.

News agency ANSA cited prosecutor Luca Masini as saying that “there is a clear and evident intent to endanger public safety, not just the lives of the individual victims.” The 31-year-old suspect is facing charges including of aggravated assault.

According to reports, the man had received psychiatric treatment in the past, holds a degree in economics and has no prior criminal record. The suspect was born in the northern Italian city of Bergamo and grew up in the Modena area, reports said.

Earlier, Mezzetti said in a video message that he was “deeply shaken” by what he described as a “mad incident.”

Security camera footage showed the small car hitting several people, with some thrown into the air.

One woman was pressed against a shop window at the end of the car’s path and suffered severe injuries, including the amputation of both legs, according to local media.

ANSA cited authorities as saying that two of the injured had to have their legs amputated.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incident as “extremely serious” and expressed solidarity with the injured and their families, while thanking those who stopped the man. She said the suspect must be held accountable.