Several injured after car plows into crowd; passerby allegedly stabbed by driver

A car reportedly drove into a crowd in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday, injuring at least eight people.

The vehicle slammed into a store window, and its driver allegedly stabbed a passerby who attempted to intervene.

Mayor Massimo Mezzetti told Italian TV no one was killed, but eight people were injured, including four who were in critical condition.

He said a woman pinned against a shop window may require the amputation of both legs.

The driver was identified as a 31-year-old man born in Bergamo and raised in Modena with Maghreb origins, Mezzetti said. 

The man was detained and was being questioned at police headquarters as authorities worked to determine whether he was under the influence of substances or acted deliberately, the mayor said.

Mezzetti said the vehicle entered one of the city’s main streets and "drove onto the sidewalk, sending several people flying," before crashing into the shop window.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incident as "extremely serious" in a statement posted to X.

"I express my closeness to the injured people and their families," Meloni wrote in the post. "I also extend my thanks to the citizens who bravely intervened to stop the perpetrator and to the law enforcement agencies for their response."

Meloni said she has spoken with the mayor and remains in constant contact with the authorities to follow the developments of the situation. 

"I trust that the perpetrator will be held fully accountable for his actions," she wrote.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.