A man drove a car into a crowd in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday, injuring at least eight people, four of them seriously, police said.
Modena Mayor Massimo Mazzetti told local media that the driver tried to flee after the car crashed into a shop window.
“He was seen with a knife in his hand, but he did not manage to stab anyone. It seems as if he was trying to kill someone,” the mayor said.
Police have arrested the driver and taken him to headquarters for questioning, Mazzetti said.
“Whatever it is, this is a very serious act,” the mayor said. “If it had been an attack, it would have been even more serious.”
What we know about the car crash in Modena
Authorities identified the driver as a 31-year-old second-generation Italian born in Bergamo and living in the province of Modena.
“He was treated in a mental health center for schizoid disorders, but after an initial period of observation in a care facility we lost track of him,” city prefect Fabrizia Triolo told a news conference.
Investigators said there was no immediate indication that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. His house was searched as part of the investigation.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incident as “extremely serious” in a social media post.
“I am confident that the individual responsible will be held fully accountable for his actions,” she wrote on X.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico