Get you up to speed: Man drives into pedestrians in Modena, injuring eight, four critically
Salim El Koudri, 31, drove into pedestrians in the centre of Modena, injuring eight people, four of whom were critically hurt. After exiting his vehicle, El Koudri stabbed Luca Signorelli, who attempted to stop him from fleeing the scene.
Eight people were injured, four critically, after Salim El Koudri, 31, drove into pedestrians in Modena, Italy, as stated by local prosecutors who described the incident as occurring in an “indiscriminate, random and deliberate manner.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her solidarity with the victims, calling the event “extremely serious” and trusting that El Koudri would be held “fully accountable for his actions.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will visit Modena on Sunday alongside President Sergio Mattarella following the incident involving Salim El Koudri, who injured eight pedestrians. Prosecutors stated that El Koudri acted “in an indiscriminate, random and deliberate manner” during the attack.
Driver with ‘mental issues’ sped into crowd leaving one woman needing legs amputated | News World
Eight people have been left injured, four critically, after a man mowed down pedestrians on a pavement in Modena, Italy (Picture: AFP)
A man who drove into pedestrians in the Italian city of Modena was known to have mental disorders.
Salim El Koudri, 31, rammed into crowds in the centre of the city in Emilia Romagna, injuring eight people, including four critically.
Two of the victims lost their legs and one, a 55-year-old woman is said to be in a life-threatening condition at a hospital in Bologna.
After leaving his vehicle, El Koudri stabbed a pedestrian, Luca Signorelli, who tried to stop him fleeing the scene.
A 27-year-old woman, a 71-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man are all currently at Modena’s polyclinic with non-serious injuries.
In a statement today, prosecutors said he had struck passers-by ‘in an indiscriminate, random and deliberate manner’.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni reportedly cancelled a meeting with the Cypriot president in Nicosia to join president Sergio Mattarella on a visit to Modena on Sunday.
She wrote on X: ‘I express my solidarity with those who were injured and their families.
Police officers standing by the crashed car in the centre of Modena in Emilia Romagna, Italy (Picture: Reuters)
‘What happened in Modena is extremely serious. I trust the person responsible will be held fully accountable for his actions.’
Modena’s mayor Massimo Mezzetti suggested that El Koudri had a history of mental instability but insisted it was too early to draw conclusions.
Italy’s far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who leads the anti-immigrant League party, highlighted El Koudri’s Moroccan heritage and called for migrants who commit crimes to have their resident permits revoked.
Dramatic footage showed the moment El Koudri rocketed down the street in a silver car, before mounting the pavement and damaging a row of shop awnings.
A witness told Corriere della Sera: ‘He was going incredibly fast, definitely over 100 miles per hour.’
Mr Signorelli said that El Koudri was behaving as if under the influence of alcohol or drugs before the attacker stabbed him, however police confirmed the 31-year-old had tested negative for both.
Comment now
Comments
Add WTX as a Preferred Source on Google
Breaking News
Never miss the biggest stories with breaking news alerts in your inbox.