Overview
- Police say a 35-year-old local driver deliberately struck pedestrians and cyclists over roughly 35 minutes before setting his car on fire and being arrested with a Taser.
- Two victims — a 22-year-old parliamentary assistant and a 69-year-old cyclist — remain in critical care, but their lives are no longer in immediate danger, according to the interior minister.
- Investigators found gas canisters in the burned vehicle, and searches and forensic work continue as authorities analyze phone data and conduct a psychiatric assessment.
- The suspect shouted “Allahu akbar” during his arrest; officials confirmed explicit religious references were found at his home and cite signs of recent self-radicalization, though he was not known to intelligence services.
- The La Rochelle prosecutor has opened an inquiry for attempted murders, the national anti-terror office remains in observation, and political leaders split between calls for a terrorism label and appeals for judicial prudence.