At Least 8 People Hurt After Car Rams Into Crowd in Italy

At least eight people were injured on May 16 when a car drove into a crowd in Modena, Italy.

Four victims were in serious condition on May 16, including a woman who was pinned against a shop window, according to the city’s mayor, Massimo Mezzetti.

The wounded woman had to have both of her legs amputated, according to the mayor.

Mezzetti said he suspected that the driver intended to cause harm using his gray car in the shopping section of the city that’s located in the northern part of the country between Florence and Venice.

“It seems [the driver] deliberately drove ​onto the sidewalk, hitting several people and ​crashing into a shop window. He then got out of ‌his ⁠car and brandished a knife,” Mezzetti told local media on May 16.

Witnesses said the driver tried to flee before locals attempted to stop him until the police arrived.

They added that he held a knife, but did not stab anyone.

“Whatever the nature, it is a very serious act,” Mezzetti said. “If it were an attack, it would be even more serious.

The 31-year-old driver was identified as Salim El Koudri, a second-generation Italian who lived in the area.

Police alleged that he held a degree in economics, was unemployed, and was known for having mental disorders.

Law enforcement is investigating if El Koudri was under the influence of substances during the crash and whether he targeted the crowd.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she trusted that the suspect would be “held fully accountable for his actions.”

“What happened today in Modena, where a man ran over several pedestrians … is extremely serious,” Meloni wrote in an X post on May 16.

“I express my closeness to the injured people and their families. I also extend my thanks to the citizens who bravely intervened to stop the perpetrator and to the law enforcement agencies for their response.”

Antonio Tajani, vice president of the Council of Ministers of Italy, praised the quick thinking of Luca Signorelli, who was one of the men that stepped in to stop the suspect.

“Despite being injured, he sacrificed himself to save the lives of those who were there,” Tajani wrote in an X post. “I thank him for this valiant act of altruism, an example for all.”

Reuters contributed to this report.