Modena Horror: Knife Attack After Car Plows Into Crowded Historic Street

Meloni and President Mattarella visited Baggiovara hospital on Sunday (Getty Images)

Chaos erupted in Modena’s historic center on Saturday afternoon when a speeding car deliberately mounted the sidewalk near the city’s famous cathedral, mowing down pedestrians in a shocking rampage.

Eight people were injured, four of them seriously. Among the victims was a woman who required the amputation of both legs. Five women and three men were among those hurt.

The car finally smashed into a shop window. The 31-year-old driver then emerged armed with a knife and attacked a brave passer-by who tried to stop him. With help from other citizens, the suspect was quickly subdued.

The driver has been identified as Salim El Koudri, an Italian citizen of Moroccan origin, born in the Bergamo area and living in the Modena province. He is an economics graduate who was unemployed and had no criminal record. In 2022, he had been referred for treatment related to schizoid disorders but later disappeared from the mental health system.

Eyewitnesses described a terrifying moment. One said the car suddenly accelerated to at least 100 km/h and veered straight onto the pavement. “We saw people flying,” the witness recounted.

Luca Signorelli, the man who intervened, told media he was helping an injured woman when he saw the driver trying to escape. He gave chase, only to be slashed in the head and chest before managing to restrain the attacker together with others.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incident as “extremely serious,” cancelled her planned trip to Cyprus, and visited the victims in hospital alongside President Sergio Mattarella on Sunday. She personally thanked Signorelli, later posting on X: “What makes an ordinary person heroic is the moment when the heart chooses to do good, even when that involves a risk.”

Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti confirmed it appeared to be a deliberate act. The attack occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Via Emilia, leaving the city shaken and raising fresh questions about mental health monitoring.