Eight people including four critical after car ploughs into pedestrians in Italy
Police said they arrested the driver, a man in his thirties, and there was no further danger
Four people are fighting for their lives after a car ploughed into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena.
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A total of eight people have been treated for injuries following the incident on Saturday afternoon, four of which are said to be critical.
Mayor Massimo Mezzetti said no one was killed but four victims were in a serious condition, including a woman who was struck against a shop window and required the amputation of both legs.
He told reporters that the vehicle entered one of the city’s main streets and "drove onto the sidewalk, sending several people flying," before crashing into the shop window.
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Police said they arrested the driver, a man in his thirties, and there was no further danger.
According to Mr Mezzetti, the driver is a 31-year-old man born in Bergamo and raised in Modena with Maghreb origins.
The suspect was detained and was being questioned at police headquarters as authorities worked to determine whether he was under the influence of substances or acted deliberately.
Victims were taken to hospitals in Modena and Bologna, including by helicopter for the most critical cases.
According to reports, the driver was seen holding a knife but did not manage to stab anyone.
The mayor added: "Whatever the nature, it is a very serious act. If it were an attack, it would be even more serious."
A witness told RaiNews24 he heard people falling and threw himself to the ground as the car approached. He said the driver appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, though authorities have not confirmed this.
"I express my solidarity with those who were injured and their families," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted on social media X.
"What happened in Modena is extremely serious," Meloni added.