A driver rammed into pedestrians and cyclists in France’s of Ile d’Oleron on Wednesday, injuring at least nine people, the interior minister and local officials confirmed.
A 35-year-old suspect has been arrested, with local prosecutors saying the incident appeared to be “deliberate.”
The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has not yet been involved in the investigation, the French AFP news agency reported, citing local prosecutor Arnaud Laraize.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said he was heading to the island at the request of the prime minister.
What we know so far
The incident took place on a roadside connecting the communities Saint Pierre and Dolus-d’Oleron. The mayor of Dolus-d’Oleron, Thibault Brechkoff, had initially reported several incidents along the roadside and added that a crisis unit had been established.
Local prosecutor Arnaud Laraize told French media that the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest” in Arabic) when he was arrested.
The suspect also attempted to set fire to his car, which contained at least one gas canister, Reuters reported, citing French media.
Officials are currently investigating the suspect for attempted murder.
One of the victims has been identified as a parliamentary staff member of the far-right National Rally legislator, according to French broadcaster BFM.
What do we know about the suspect?
The suspect is a 35-year-old French national who is a resident of the small fishing village of La Cotiniere.
Local prosecutor Laraize told the French local paper Sud-Oest that the suspect was not on the investigators’ watchlist of radicalized individuals.
BFM reported that the suspect apprehended was known to the police for disorderly conduct and petty crime, including drunk driving. The French daily Le Parisien said investigators indicated the suspect may have had a history of mental health issues.
The French daily also reported that a source close to the case said that the suspect’s alcohol screening test had come back negative.
The last vehicle-ramming attack that grabbed French headlines took place in August, when a man drove his car into a crowd outside a wine bar in northern Normandy, killing one and injuring five. The attack had followed a personal dispute.
This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.
Edited by Rebecca Staudenmaier
