A car struck at least eight pedestrians on Modena's main shopping street Saturday, in an act the city's mayor called a "crazy act." Four victims remained in serious condition, including a woman whose legs were crushed. The driver, identified as 31-year-old Salim El Koudri, rammed into a storefront after traveling at high speed and tried to flee on foot.

Bystanders blocked the driver's escape, with one man reporting he was grazed by a knife. Two of the most seriously injured were airlifted to a hospital in Bologna. Police detained the driver for interrogation, while residents described lingering shock from a normally bustling Saturday afternoon turned violent.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini labeled the act "madness" with no justification, while PM Giorgia Meloni said she trusted the perpetrator would be held fully accountable. Mayor Massimo Mezzetti said this was the first incident of its kind in Modena. The attack has shaken the city's business community, with a local business association worker still shaken by the screams she heard.