A man deliberately rammed his car into pedestrians and cyclists on the Ile d’Oléron, an island off France’s west coast, injuring 10 people on Wednesday morning, several of them critically.
BBC reports that the suspect, a local man in his mid-30s, drove at high speed between two villages, striking multiple victims - including a young girl - before abandoning his vehicle. He reportedly attempted to set the car on fire and flee on foot but was subdued by police using a stun gun.
“He drove for some distance between the villages, mowing down several people, including a young girl,” said Thibault Brechkoff, the mayor of Dolus d’Oléron. “He then tried to ignite his car before escaping.”
Arnaud Laraize, the public prosecutor in La Rochelle, confirmed that the suspect was known to police and shouted *“Allahu Akbar”* (“God is greatest”) at the time of his arrest.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that an investigation had been opened and said he was traveling to the scene.
The attack occurred around 08:45 local time (07:45 GMT). Local media reported that gas canisters were discovered in the back of the suspect’s vehicle after he attempted to set it alight.
Witnesses said the driver appeared to target people in several locations, including the villages of Dolus d’Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, before the rampage ended outside a bakery.