Salim El Koudri Plows Into Pedestrians on Modena’s Via Emilia
Car plowed into pedestrians on Via Emilia in Modena; eight injured, four seriously; suspect Salim El Koudri detained amid probes into motive and mental health.
Al JazeeraItaly’s leaders visit victims of Modena car-ramming, stabbing attacks
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Daily CallerPossible Terror Attack Injures Nearly A Dozen In Major European Country
Overview
A 31-year-old man identified as Salim El Koudri drove at high speed on Via Emilia in Modena at about 4:30pm local time (14:30 GMT) on Saturday, injuring eight people before bystanders overpowered and detained him.
Four victims were reported in serious condition and at least one woman required leg amputations, officials said, as investigators examine whether the act was deliberate or linked to mental-health issues.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella visited injured people in hospital, with Meloni calling the incident "extremely serious" and thanking citizens who intervened, including Luca Signorelli, officials and media reported.
Authorities identified the suspect as a 31-year-old born in Bergamo and living in Modena province who holds an economics degree, is unemployed, and had been treated for schizoid disorders between 2022 and 2024, officials said.
Investigators from the terrorism unit of the Bologna District Prosecutor's Office have taken up the case and police have searched the suspect's home as questioning continues, authorities said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a criminal incident likely linked to mental instability rather than terrorism, using vivid verbs ("plowed", "drove onto the sidewalk") and foregrounding officials' notes that the suspect was known to mental health services and that "no links to extremist groups" emerged. Source selection (mayor, prefect, premier) reinforces this focus.