A man drove a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday, injuring eight people — four of them seriously — in what local officials described as a deliberate act.
Get today's headlines by email ![]()
Authorities said the vehicle struck pedestrians along Via Emilia near the city’s historic cathedral before crashing into a shop window. The incident took place around 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT), sending several people flying and leaving multiple victims injured on the pavement.
Among those hurt were five women and three men. One woman reportedly suffered catastrophic injuries, with both of her legs crushed in the impact.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the event as “extremely serious”.
Suspect restrained by passers-by
After the car came to a stop, the driver got out holding a knife and attacked a passer-by who had attempted to pursue him, according to witnesses and local officials.
The man who gave chase, identified by Italian media as Luca Signorelli, said he had initially been trying to assist one of the injured victims before noticing the driver attempting to flee.
Signorelli said the suspect turned on him with a knife, striking him in the head and chest. Despite the attack, he managed to restrain the man with the help of other bystanders until authorities arrived.
Witnesses described the car approaching the pavement at high speed before accelerating toward pedestrians.
“We saw the car approaching, it was heading for the curb,” one witness told Italian media.
“It suddenly accelerated — it was going at least 100km/h,” the witness added, describing the moment people were thrown into the air by the impact.
Officials say attack appeared deliberate
Modena’s mayor, Massimo Mezzetti, said early findings suggested the driver intentionally mounted the pavement before striking multiple pedestrians.
“It appears the driver deliberately drove onto the pavement, hitting several people and crashing into a shop window,” he said.
The suspect has been identified by authorities as Salim El Koudri, a 31-year-old Italian national of Moroccan origin. Officials said he was born in the province of Bergamo near Milan and currently lives in the province of Modena.
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigration League party, publicly named the suspect on social media platform X, describing him as a “second-generation criminal”.
Mental health history reported
Italian media reported that the suspect is an economics graduate who is currently unemployed and has no previous criminal record.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday evening, Modena prefect Fabrizia Triolo said the man had previously been referred to a mental health centre in 2022 for what she described as “schizoid disorders”.
Triolo said he later disappeared and could not be located by authorities following that referral.
Police have not yet provided further details on a possible motive for the attack as investigations continue.
META: Eight people were injured after a driver deliberately drove into pedestrians in Modena, Italy, before being restrained by bystanders.
Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 17 May 2026
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment