Lead

A car ramming in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday injured at least eight people, four of them seriously, according to police and the city's mayor. The driver, a 31-year-old Italian national of Moroccan origin, was arrested after attempting to flee, moments after the vehicle crashed into a shop window. Officials were investigating the incident, with Italy's interior minister stating it appeared related to "a situation of psychiatric distress."

Coverage comparison

The incident occurred in the centre of Modena, south-east of Milan, around 16:30 (14:30 GMT), when a speeding car hit pedestrians. The mayor of Modena, Massimo Mezzetti, told local media the driver appeared to have "deliberately drove on to the pavement, hitting several people and crashing into a shop window," and that the driver then "got out of his car and brandished a knife."

Al Jazeera reported that the attacker also stabbed a pedestrian before being stopped by passers-by, while the BBC reported that the driver, in his 30s, was arrested and taken into custody. Dawn reported that the driver injured seven people, four badly, and that the mayor thanked citizens who showed courage and civic duty. Deutsche Welle described the driver as a 31-year-old second-generation Italian born in Bergamo, living in the province of Modena.

The Jerusalem Post reported that at least eight people were injured, four in serious condition, and that the driver had been receiving treatment for psychiatric disorders. The South China Morning Post said the driver has a history of mental health problems and that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited the wounded.

Fox News reported that the vehicle slammed into a store window and that the driver allegedly stabbed a passerby who attempted to intervene. The Guardian reported seven people injured, two seriously, and that the driver attempted to stab a passerby who had tried to stop him.

Key claims

  • The driver, identified by politicians and media as Salim El Koudri, drove at high speed through the city centre, hitting more than a dozen people, according to Al Jazeera.
  • The driver attempted to flee after the car crashed into a shop window, several outlets reported.
  • The driver got out of the car and brandished a knife, and allegedly stabbed a pedestrian before being stopped, according to multiple sources.
  • Eight people were taken to hospital in serious condition, with two women having their legs amputated, one remaining life-threatening, according to a statement by the Modena prosecutor's office.
  • The driver had been treated at a mental health centre for schizoid disorders, said city prefect Fabrizia Triolo, according to Deutsche Welle.
  • Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the incident "extremely serious" in a social media post.

Perspectives

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she trusts the person responsible will be held fully accountable for his actions, as quoted in Deutsche Welle.

The Mayor of Modena, Massimo Mezzetti, said the incident was a "dramatic event" and that he was "deeply shaken," according to Dawn. He also added, "If it turns out to be an attack, that would be even more serious."

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said on Sunday the incident appears related "to a situation of psychiatric distress," and that the city should be reassured that this is "a dramatic, tragic, isolated episode," as quoted in the South China Morning Post.