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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 has been arrested by the police and an attempted murder investigation has been launched.
He attempted to set fire to his vehicles with a number of gas cylinders in his car, French media reported. Mr Laraize said this information is currently being verified, and said 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.
The suspect is “known for his numerous transgressions, notably due to his regular consumption of drugs and alcohol,” the Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron mayor, 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 ,” the public prosecutor of La Rochelle told Le Figaro.
Pedestrians and cyclists were among those injured in the attack 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.
He is not believed to be on the French authorities’ list for the prevention of radicalisation leading to terrorism, the outlet reported.
French president Emmanuel Macron is following the situation from his plane which is en route to Brazil, according to political reporter for BFMTV.
Victims were airlifted to the University Hospital of Poitiers, while a psychological support unit has been set up at Château d’Oléron, French media reports.
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…
