
Modena Mayor Massimo Mazzetti said four people were seriously injured, while two victims were reported to be in critical condition, Reuters reported.
The driver, described as a man in his thirties and an Italian national of North African origin from the Bergamo region, reportedly deliberately drove onto the sidewalk before crashing into a shop window.
“It appears the driver deliberately drove onto the footpath, hit several people and crashed into a shop window. He then got out of his car and brandished a knife,” Mazzetti said.
A person who attempted to stop the driver suffered minor injuries during the incident. Witnesses told local media that they heard people falling and saw the car speeding toward the pedestrians, with one witness claiming the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, although authorities have not officially confirmed this.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with the victims and their families in a post on Twitter, describing the incident as ‘extremely serious’. Police are continuing to investigate the motive behind the attack.
“I express my closeness to the injured people and their families. I also thank the citizens who bravely intervened to stop the perpetrator and thank the law enforcement agencies for their response,” she wrote.