Moroccan man plows into pedestrians in Italy, injures eight

A Moroccan man was arrested in the Italian city of Modena on Saturday after driving his car into pedestrians in the city center before stabbing a passerby who tried to stop him, leaving eight people injured, four of them seriously.

Italian media identified the suspect as 31-year-old Salim El Koudri, a Moroccan national living in Ravarino. Prosecutors described the incident as a deliberate act and opened an investigation on suspicion of attempted massacre and aggravated assault with a weapon, while Italy’s anti-terrorism authorities are also following the case.

According to investigators, El Koudri drove a Citroën C3 at high speed along Via Emilia Centro in Modena shortly before 5 p.m., deliberately targeting pedestrians walking along the street. Surveillance footage reportedly showed the driver swerving toward people on the sidewalks before crashing into a shop window.

Among the injured were a 55-year-old woman who suffered the amputation of both legs, as well as other victims aged between 27 and 71.

Several bystanders chased and stopped the suspect as he attempted to flee on foot. One of them was stabbed twice with a 20-centimeter knife before police officers arrived, disarmed the suspect, and arrested him in a nearby street.