At least seven people were injured Saturday in Modena, Italy when a crazed driver rammed his car into a crowd at full speed — then got out and stabbed at least one person.
The motive is not yet known, but a terrorist attack is not being ruled out, Italian newspaper La Pressa reported.
The unidentified man, a 31-year-old Italian citizen of Moroccan origin, accelerated suddenly then zigzagged erratically on Via Emilia around 4:30 pm, mowing down at least four pedestrians.
“He was going at least a hundred kilometres per hour, we saw people flying,” said one witness, Il Messagero reported.
He crashed the vehicle into a storefront window, crushing one woman between the car’s front end and the shop. She was taken to hospital in critical condition, and will likely have both legs amputated, authorities reported.After crashing, the knife-wielding maniac tried to run and stabbed at least one man before he was chased down by a crowdand stopped.
The victim, identified by Italian media as Luca Signorelli was stabbed as he chased down the lunatic.
“He disappeared behind a row of cars and then suddenly reappeared with a knife in his hand,” Signorelli told reporters, his head still dripping with blood.
“He was babbling something, but it wasn’t Italian. Two slashing blows came at me—one aimed at the heart, the other at the head. A scuffle broke out,” he recounted.
“I managed to dodge one of the strikes, but the other one hit me. Then I pinned his wrist. And then I neutralized him.”
In all at least seven people have been injured, according to the mayor.
“It is a dramatic event. I am deeply shaken,” said Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti, who rushed to the scene after the attack.
“Whatever the nature of the incident, it is a very grave matter. If it turns out to be a deliberate attack, it would be even more serious.”
The man has been taken to the police station for questioning .
