A 26-year-old man deliberately drove his car into a group of pedestrians Wednesday evening in Caen, very close to the train station. Authorities released overnight reported one death and ten injuries, seven of them critical. The driver fled the scene before being apprehended in Ouistreham, about 20 kilometers from Caen. An investigation for murder and aggravated assault with a weapon has been opened. ( boursorama.com )
An altercation before the tragedy
The incident occurred around 22:15 p.m. in the area of the train station. A fight had broken out shortly before near a bar. The exact circumstances of this altercation and its connection to the incident are now central to the investigation. After the fight, the driver got behind the wheel of his vehicle. According to initial information released by the authorities, he then deliberately drove his car toward several people who were in the street, opposite the train station. The prefect of Calvados, David Clavière, confirmed during the night that the act was deliberate. The victims were treated by a large emergency response team, while a security perimeter was established in the neighborhood.
One dead and ten injured, seven of whom are in critical condition.
The official report released overnight indicated one death and ten injuries. Seven of the injured were classified as critical and three as less serious. All the injured were reportedly men. The youngest was 17 years old and the oldest in his forties. According to initial witness statements gathered at the scene, the deceased was a young Afghan man, 18 or 19 years old. His identity had not yet been officially confirmed by authorities overnight. A different initial report, indicating two deaths and eight injuries, circulated in the first hours following the incident. The information subsequently released by the Prefect of Calvados reported one death and ten injuries. The toll may still rise given the serious condition of several victims.
The driver was arrested in Ouistreham after fleeing the scene.
After hitting the pedestrians, the driver fled the scene. An immediate search led to his capture in Ouistreham, on the Normandy coast, about 20 kilometers from Caen. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody. He is 26 years old and was born in Russia. According to information released by the prefect of Calvados, he was not known to intelligence services. However, he was already known to the police for traffic offenses.
An investigation has been opened for murder.
The legal classification adopted at this stage confirms that investigators are working on the hypothesis of a deliberate act. An investigation has been opened for murder and aggravated assault with a weapon , as the vehicle is likely to be considered a weapon in this case. The investigation has been entrusted to the organized and specialized crime division of Calvados. Police officers must, in particular, reconstruct the fight that preceded the incident, determine any possible relationships between the driver and the victims, and establish the exact sequence of events in the minutes leading up to the car's passage. Footage from CCTV cameras in the area is also being reviewed. Forensic investigators conducted examinations and collected evidence in the train station area during the night.
The terrorist angle is not being given priority.
At this stage of the investigation, there is no evidence to suggest a terrorist motive. The deputy prosecutor of Caen indicated that this hypothesis was not , "a priori," the one being favored, while emphasizing that the investigation was only just beginning.
A dramatic night in the train station district
The area in front of Caen train station is particularly busy, with several establishments, hotels, shops, and public transport stops. The incident occurred while several people were still in the street. The neighborhood was cordoned off during the emergency response and the investigation. The driver's detention will now allow police to question him about the fight, his flight to Ouistreham, and especially the reasons why he drove into the people present in front of the station. The investigation will also need to determine whether the victims had participated in the previous altercation or if some of them were simply present at the scene when the incident occurred.
