Link to A 35-year-old man deliberately drove into people on the Île d’Oléron before setting his car on fire. He was arrested after shouting “Allahu Akbar,” but anti-terrorism prosecutors have not taken over the caseA 35-year-old man deliberately drove into people on the Île d’Oléron before setting his car on fire. He was arrested after shouting “Allahu Akbar,” but anti-terrorism prosecutors have not taken over the case
A man was arrested after deliberately ramming his car into pedestrians and cyclists on the popular French holiday island of Île d’Oléron, leaving at least ten people injured, including four in critical condition, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred around 8:45 a.m. near the villages of Dolus d’Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, on France’s Atlantic coast. The 35-year-old suspect, a local resident known to police, drove several kilometers striking people along the way — among them a young girl, said Thibault Brechkoff, the mayor of Dolus d’Oléron.
After the rampage, the driver abandoned his car, set it on fire, and attempted to flee on foot before being subdued with a stun gun and taken into custody. At the time of his arrest, witnesses and police reported hearing him shout “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”).
The public prosecutor of La Rochelle, Arnaud Laraize, confirmed that the suspect is being held on charges of attempted murder. Although the man’s actions appeared deliberate, France’s anti-terrorism authorities have not yet taken control of the investigation.
A gas canister was reportedly found in the back of the suspect’s vehicle after he set it ablaze, prompting security forces to cordon off the area as a precaution. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that an inquiry had been opened and that he was traveling to the island to oversee the response.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as the car struck multiple groups of pedestrians and cyclists in quick succession. The attacks ended near a bakery in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, where bystanders tried to intervene before police arrived.
The Île d’Oléron, France’s second-largest island after Corsica, is a well-known seaside destination connected to the mainland by a bridge. The morning assault has shocked residents and tourists alike, as investigators work to determine the man’s motives and whether the attack was premeditated.
Local authorities said the condition of the injured remains “extremely serious,” with several victims transported by helicopter to hospitals in La Rochelle and Bordeaux.
(Associated Medias) - Tutti i diritti sono riservati
(Associated Medias) - Tutti i diritti sono riservati