Several Seriously Hurt After Car Hits Pedestrians in Italy

A driver rammed his vehicle into a group of pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, injuring eight people. Four victims sustained serious injuries, including a woman who later had both legs amputated due to the impact. The driver was arrested by police.

According to Modena prefect Fabrizia Triolo, the man drove at high speed through a busy downtown street before hitting several pedestrians and eventually crashing into a storefront. Among those seriously injured are a German and a Polish citizen, Mayor Massimo Mezzetti said.

Authorities are investigating whether the incident was intentional. Mayor Mezzetti stated that it remains unclear whether the case should be classified as an attack. Emilia-Romagna regional president Michele de Pascale also urged caution, saying investigators must first establish the facts.

Investigators said the driver had experienced a psychiatric crisis in 2022 and had received treatment in a psychiatric clinic. However, authorities added that he was not under the influence of psychotropic substances at the time of the incident. Police also searched his residence near Modena.

One eyewitness told Italian television that he threw himself to the ground as the car sped toward the crowd. After the vehicle came to a stop, several bystanders chased the suspect as he attempted to flee. According to the witness, the man pulled out a knife and injured him in the head, though he managed to fend off a second attack aimed toward his chest.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incident as “extremely serious” and thanked the citizens who intervened to stop the suspect.

The suspect, an Italian citizen of Moroccan origin, remains in police custody and is being questioned.