Five people have been injured, two seriously, after a motorist deliberately drove into pedestrians and cyclists on the French Atlantic island of Île d'Oléron, authorities said on Wednesday.
The attack began at around 8:40 am local time and lasted about 35 minutes, according to interior minister Laurent Nuñez. The suspect, a 35-year-old local fisherman, was arrested after being shot with a stun gun by gendarmes. He had tried to set his car alight following the rampage.
Mr Nuñez confirmed that the man shouted 'Allahu Akbar' when apprehended, but said his motive remained unclear. The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has not yet taken up the case, and the suspect was not on any security watchlist.
Local mayors described the suspect as well-known to police for petty crime, drink-driving, drug offences, and problem behaviour. He was known for common law offences but not to security services, junior minister Marie-Pierre Vedrenne told parliament.
Two victims are in very serious condition, including a parliamentary assistant to a far-right National Rally MP. The number of casualties was revised down from an earlier report of nine. All victims are residents of the island, local MP Olivier Falorni said.
