Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti said four people were seriously injured, two of whom were in critical condition, Reuters reported.
The driver, described as a man in his thirties and an Italian of North African descent from the Bergamo area, allegedly deliberately drove the car onto the pavement before crashing into a shop window.
“The driver appeared to have deliberately driven the car onto the pavement, hitting several people and smashing into a shop window. Then he got out of the car and brandished a knife,” Mezzetti said.
A man who tried to stop the driver suffered minor injuries during the incident. Witnesses told local media they heard people falling and saw cars speeding towards pedestrians, with one witness claiming the driver appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but authorities have not officially confirmed this.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with the victims and their families in a post on X, calling the incident “extremely serious.” Police are continuing to investigate the motive behind the attack.
“My condolences go out to the injured and their families. I also express my gratitude to the citizens who bravely stepped in to stop the perpetrators and to law enforcement agencies for their response,” she wrote.
