A 26-year-old Russian man has been arrested after a car plowed into a crowd in Caen, northwestern France, killing one person and injuring 10 others. Police say the driver deliberately drove into pedestrians opposite the train station following an altercation.
Incident details
The incident occurred at around 10.15pm on Wednesday, August 26, near a packed bus terminal in Caen. A police source said the attack is thought to have happened after a fight, with one of the men allegedly involved returning to his parked vehicle. He then got behind the wheel and "deliberately drove into pedestrians in the street opposite the train station", according to police.
The driver allegedly fled the scene but was arrested shortly thereafter about 12.5 miles away, a police source told France 24. The suspect, identified as a 26-year-old Russian national, remains in police custody. He is not known to intelligence services but was known to police "only for traffic offences". The incident is not thought to be terror related.
Casualties and investigation
Seven people were admitted to nearby hospitals in critical condition, while another three suffered minor injuries, according to local politician David Claviere. All victims appear to be men aged between 17 and 40, France24 reports.
A formal investigation is now underway 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. "For the moment, we are not dealing with a terrorist motive, but the investigation is only just beginning," he said, declining to provide further details on the one person confirmed dead in the attack.
