A man has died and 10 other people were injured after a car was allegedly driven into a crowd outside a railway station in northwestern France. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening in the town of Caen, following a reported fight at a bar near the train station at around 10.30pm local time. Initial reports suggested two deaths, but firefighters and police later confirmed at least one fatality.
Police say driver deliberately struck pedestrians
A police source said the ramming is believed to have happened after a fight, with one of the men involved in the earlier scuffle returning to his parked vehicle. He is understood to have gotten behind the wheel before he "deliberately drove into pedestrians in the street opposite the train station", according to police, as reported by the Mirror. Seven people were admitted to nearby hospitals in critical condition, while another three suffered minor injuries, according to local politician David Claviere.
Suspect arrested and investigation launched
The driver allegedly fled the scene but was arrested about 12.5 miles away shortly afterwards, a police source told France 24. A 26-year-old Russian national remains in police custody. He is known to police "only for traffic offences" and is not known to intelligence services. All the victims appear to be men aged between 17 and 40, France24 reports. City security officials have confirmed a formal investigation is under way regarding possible charges of murder and aggravated assault.
Claviere, the local prefect for Caen, told the French press the attack does not appear to be motivated by terrorism. Declining to provide further details, he said: "for the moment, we are not dealing with a terrorist motive, but the investigation is only just beginning."
