Several people were injured after a car drove into pedestrians in the centre of Modena in northern Italy, with authorities detaining a 31-year-old man following the incident.

According to Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti, eight people were injured, including four who remain in critical condition. A woman trapped against a shop window reportedly suffered severe leg injuries that may require amputation, News.Az reports, citing Euro News.

The suspect was identified as an Italian citizen of Moroccan origin living in the Modena province. Officials said he had no previous convictions and is currently being questioned by police as investigators examine whether he acted deliberately or was under the influence of substances.

Witnesses said the driver headed onto the pavement, hitting a bicycle before crashing into pedestrians and slamming into a woman. The car later smashed into a shop window in the city centre.

Mayor Mezzetti stated that the man was reportedly seen holding a weapon, although no stabbing was confirmed. Authorities are also investigating reports that he may have attempted to attack someone after the crash.

Two critically injured victims were transferred to Maggiore Hospital in Bologna, while two others remain in hospital in Modena.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government was closely monitoring developments and confirmed she had been in contact with Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and other security officials. In a statement, Meloni described the incident as “extremely serious” and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families.

The mayor thanked citizens who intervened to stop the suspect and described the incident as a dramatic event, adding that authorities are still working to understand what was behind the attack.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova