ROME (AP) — Eight people sustained injuries when a vehicle struck pedestrians on a sidewalk in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday, with four victims in critical condition, local officials reported.
Mayor Massimo Mezzetti confirmed that while no fatalities occurred in the incident, four individuals suffered severe injuries. One woman became trapped against a storefront window and required both legs to be amputated, he stated.
According to Mezzetti, the operator of the vehicle is a 31-year-old man who was born in Bergamo and grew up in Modena’s province. Authorities have taken him into custody and are conducting interviews at police facilities while working to establish if he was impaired by substances or if his actions were intentional.
The mayor described how the vehicle moved onto one of the city’s primary roadways and “mounted the sidewalk, launching multiple individuals into the air,” before colliding with the store window.
A minimum of eight individuals sustained injuries, with four experiencing very severe trauma, the mayor confirmed. Medical facilities in both Modena and Bologna received the victims, with helicopter transport used for the most critical patients.
The operator tried to escape but was first restrained by some of the people affected by the incident, then by law enforcement officers who transported him to headquarters for interviews.
People at the scene reported that the man was carrying a knife, though he did not succeed in stabbing anyone, the mayor noted, explaining that investigators continue working to establish if the incident was intentional or connected to other factors.
“Regardless of the motivation, this represents a very grave incident,” Mezzetti stated. “Should this prove to be an attack, it would be even more severe.”
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni described the occurrence as “extremely serious” in a social media statement and voiced support for the victims and their loved ones.
Meloni expressed appreciation to citizens who stepped in to help apprehend the suspect and commended law enforcement officials, noting she was communicating with local authorities and anticipated the suspect would face complete accountability.
Emergency responders, including police, carabinieri and financial police, arrived at the location, which was sealed off while ambulances provided care to victims on the street.
