Two people are in critical condition and several others were injured after a man, said to be Muslim, drove his car into a crowd on the French island of Ile d’Olero, according to several media reports.
The driver allegedly said “Allahu Akbar” during the arrest, La Rochelle city prosecutor Arnaud Laraize told French newspaper Le Figaro.
“At the time of the arrest (the man) was shouting Allah Akbar. However, the motive is not confirmed and will have to be determined by the investigation,” the prosecutor said.
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The prosecutor also revealed that the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office is not involved in the case at this stage.
The suspect is a 35-year-old man who lives in the small fishing village of La Cotinière (Charente-Maritime), which is 4 kilometers from the commune of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron.
The suspect allegedly tried to set fire to his vehicle using several gas cylinders that were in it, but Mr. Laraize, the public prosecutor, said this information was yet to be verified.
The suspect is “known for his numerous transgressions, especially for his regular consumption of drugs and alcohol,” the island’s mayor told French newspaper Le Parisien.
The release also revealed that investigators are trying to determine if the individual was mentally disturbed.
Most of those injured in the attack were pedestrians and cyclists. It happened around 8:45 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
The victims were airlifted to the university hospital in Poitiers. According to local media, a psychological support team was also set up on the island for those affected by the attack.
In a post on X, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said: “This morning, a motorist hit several pedestrians and cyclists on his route in Saint Pierre d’Oléron and Dolus d’Oléron. Two victims are in an absolute emergency and 3 other people are injured. The suspect has been taken into custody by gendarmes. An investigation has been launched.”
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He also announced that he was heading to the crime scene on the order of the French Prime Minister.
Other cases of such attacks in France
This is not the first time a similar attack has taken place in France. There have been several previous cases of vehicles hitting people with the intention of causing injury or death.
August 2025: This August, a man drove his car into a crowd outside a bar in Evreux. One person died and five others were injured in the incident.
April 2020: In Colombes, two police officers were seriously injured after a driver rammed his car into them. According to the French anti-terrorist prosecutor, the driver pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
June 2017: An armed individual rammed his car into a police convoy on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
December 2014: In an incident quite similar to the one on Wednesday, a driver allegedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” and drove his car into a crowd in Dijon, injuring 13 people.
