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The 35-year-old suspect reportedly attempted to set fire to his car in Ile d’Oleron, with a number of gas cylinders inside
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Two people are in intensive care and eight others are injured after a driver rammed into a crowd on the French island of Ile d’Oleron.
The driver, who has been arrested by the police, attempted to set fire to his vehicles with a number of gas cylinders in his car after he ploughed into the crowd of pedestrians and cyclists, French media reported.
An attempted murder investigation has been launched, La Rochelle public prosecutor Arnaud Laraize said, but the anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office is “not involved at this stage”.
The suspect is a 35-year-old man who lives in La Cotinière (Charente-Maritime), a small fishing village 4 kilometers from Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron.
He is “known for his numerous transgressions, notably due to his regular consumption of drugs and alcohol,” the mayor of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, Christophe Sueur, told Le Parisien.
“At the time of his arrest, [the man] shouted Allah Akbar. However, the motive is not confirmed and the investigation will have to determine it ,” Mr Laraize added to the outlet.
The attack took place on Wednesday morning, which took place at around 8:45am between two villages on the island of Oléron, Dolus-d’Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron.
Victims were airlifted to the University Hospital of Poitiers, while a psychological support unit has been set up at Château d’Oléron.
The suspect is not believed to be on the French authorities’ list for the prevention of radicalisation leading to terrorism, Le Figaro reported.
French president Emmanuel Macron is following the situation from his plane which is en route to Brazil, according to political reporter for BFMTV.
Interior minister Laurent Nunez said in a post on X: “A motorist struck several pedestrians and cyclists on his route in Saint Pierre d´Oléron and Dolus d’Oléron. The suspect has been taken into custody by the gendarmes. An investigation has been opened.
“At the request of the Prime Minister, I am heading to the scene.”
More follows on this breaking news story…
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