Rescue workers are treating the injured in Modena.Image: keystone
May 16, 2026, 7:28 p.mMay 16, 2026, 7:55 p.m
A man drove a car into a crowd in the northern Italian city of Modena. Eight people were injured, four of them seriously, said the city’s mayor, Massimo Mezzetti, in a video message. According to him, the background is still unclear. However, he said he was “deeply affected” by this “insane incident.”
The cordoned off accident site in Moodena.Image: keystone
The incident occurred in the center of Modena in the afternoon. The car crashed into a street in the old town. According to Mezzetti, the car drove onto the pedestrian path at high speed and hit a group of passers-by. The driver then tried to escape and left the car with a knife in his hand, several eyewitnesses reported.
The perpetrator’s damaged car.Image: keystone
Several passers-by chased the man and were then able to overpower him. “They showed great courage, I thank them,” said Mezzetti. According to media reports, the man is around 30 years old. He was arrested and will be questioned by the police. Mezzetti announced that he would give details about the background later. (cma/sda/dpa)