Car Plows Into Pedestrians in Modena, Injuring Eight

A car struck pedestrians on a main shopping street in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday afternoon, injuring eight people, four of them critically. The driver, identified by authorities as 31-year-old Salim El Koudri, attempted to flee but was stopped by bystanders and then detained by police.

Investigators are examining whether the incident was deliberate or linked to substance use or mental health issues.

Authorities said one woman was pinned against a shop window and required the amputation of both legs. Victims were taken to hospitals in Modena and Bologna, with some critical cases transported by helicopter. El Koudri, a second-generation Italian born in Bergamo and living in the province of Modena, holds a degree in economics and is unemployed.

He was known to local mental health services for schizoid disorders, according to Modena Prefect Fabrizia Triolo. Investigators found no immediate indication that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. His home was searched as part of the ongoing probe.

Mezzetti said the vehicle entered one of the city’s main streets and the man “drove onto the sidewalk, sending several people flying,” before crashing into the shop window. >"Whatever the nature, it is a very serious act. " — Mayor Massimo Mezzetti, May 16, 2026 (AP News) Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni called the incident “extremely serious” in a social media post and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families.

Meloni thanked citizens who intervened to help stop the suspect and praised law enforcement, adding she was in contact with local authorities and expected the suspect to be held fully accountable. Emergency services, including police, carabinieri and financial police, responded to the scene, which was cordoned off as ambulances treated victims in the street.

Witnesses reported the man was holding a knife, but he did not manage to stab anyone, the mayor said.