Driver drives into pedestrians in the center of Modena at 100 km/h

©picture alliance / ROPI | Fotogramma

Complete chaos in the center of Modena, Italy, where a 31-year-old man drove his car into pedestrians at high speed. There were many casualties and the driver did not immediately allow himself to be overpowered.

The man mowed pedestrians off the sidewalk at 100 km/h in the center of the northern Italian city. So report eyewitnesses to the Italian news agency Ansa. The collision happened around 4:30 p.m. on Largo Porta Bologna, a busy shopping street. The car came to a stop only after 200 meters. The car eventually crashed into the window of a store. In the process, a woman was trapped between the facade and the vehicle. According to Mayor Massimo Mezzetti, both her legs may have to be amputated. Security camera footage shows the car driver driving into several people. Some pedestrians are thrown into the air by the impact.

The driver tried to flee after his kamikaze attack, but bystanders surrounded him and tried to overpower him. However, the car driver pulled out a knife and allegedly tried to stab someone. One brave bystander was reportedly injured. Passersby who came to the rescue eventually managed to overpower and restrain the man until police arrived on the scene and arrested him.

The consequences for the people of Modena were tragic. Eight people were injured, four of whom suffered serious injuries. The perpetrator is Salim El-Koudri, born in Bergamo and raised in Modena. He allegedly deliberately hit the people. According to Italian authorities, the main suspect suffers from mental problems and schizophrenia. El Koudri was reportedly previously treated for his psychiatric problems. Initial investigative acts show that, according to investigators, everything points primarily to mental instability and not to religious radicalization or ties to extremist groups.

©picture alliance / ROPI | Photogramma