Driver crashes into crowd in Italy, then attacks bystanders with knife
Italian police (Photo: facebook.com/poliziadistato.it)
In the Italian city of Modena, a driver speeding at a reckless pace plowed into a crowd of pedestrians and then went on a stabbing spree, injuring eight people, reports Italian news agency ANSA.
Details of the large-scale attack
According to the publication, the tragedy occurred on Via Emilia Centro, where a car suddenly veered onto the sidewalk and accelerated to at least 160 kilometers per hour.
The vehicle jumped onto the pavement, struck a cyclist, and hit about ten passersby — the impact sent people literally flying through the air.
After the hit‑and‑run, the attacker jumped out of the wrecked car with a knife in his hand and tried to attack bystanders who were attempting to help the victims.
He wounded one passerby, but a group of several brave citizens managed to chase him down, subdue the attacker on their own, and hand him over to the police.
The mayor of Modena, Massimo Mezzetti, expressed deep gratitude to the people for their courage and high civic spirit.
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Photo: Driver crashes into crowd in Italy
Condition of the victims
As a result of the incident, five women and three men were injured. Currently, seven people have been hospitalized, two of whom are in critical condition in intensive care in Bologna.
The most seriously injured is a 55‑year‑old woman who had both legs amputated during the hit‑and‑run. The other victims are being treated in hospitals in Modena and Baggiovara with injuries of varying severity, three of them in stable condition.
What is known about the attacker
The arrested individual has been identified as 31‑year‑old Salim El Koudri, an Italian of Moroccan origin who was born in Bergamo and holds a higher education degree in economics.
According to law enforcement, the man was officially undergoing psychiatric treatment, and at the time of the crime, no alcohol or drugs were found in his blood.
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini reacted sharply to the incident, calling the suspect a second‑generation criminal and stressing that there is no excuse for such a horrific act.
Major traffic accidents in Europe
For context, several serious accidents involving passenger transport have occurred in Europe recently. In late February, for example, a new three‑carriage tram in Italy suddenly lost control on a busy street in Milan.
The runaway multi‑ton vehicle sped into a traffic light and crashed into the facade of a building, destroying a restaurant, killing two people and injuring about 40 others.
Additionally, accidents with passenger buses have also affected Ukrainians abroad. In April, near the Bulgarian‑Turkish border, a bus carrying 37 Ukrainians plowed into a group of people, killing two and injuring 16 others.
Also, in mid‑April, a Mercedes minibus with Ukrainian citizens overturned on the A4 motorway in Poland after crashing into a roadside barrier, resulting in two injuries.
