Ramming attack in Caen: two dead and ten injured near the station
A man deliberately drove into pedestrians in Caen on Wednesday evening, killing two people and injuring around ten others. The suspect, born in Russia, was arrested in Ouistreham.
Ramming attack outside Caen station: two dead, inquiry opened
A man deliberately drove his vehicle into a group of pedestrians gathered near a bar opposite Caen station on Wednesday 26 August in the evening, killing two people and around ten injured, according to France 24 - France.
The initial toll, established around 22:15 by the prefect of Calvados, David Clavière, reported one death, seven people in absolute emergency and three in relative emergency. A second victim, in cardiorespiratory arrest at the time of the incident, died on Thursday shortly before 6 a.m., according to a police source cited by AFP.
The incident occurred following a brawl, according to a police source. After hitting the group, the driver fled before being arrested in Ouistreham, around twenty kilometres from Caen.
The suspect: 26 years old, born in Russia, unknown to intelligence services
The alleged perpetrator is 26 years old, specified the deputy prosecutor of Caen, present at the scene. Prefect Clavière indicated that the suspect, "born in Russia", is not known to intelligence services, but appears in police files "only for road traffic offences". Surveillance camera footage was examined as part of the inquiry.
An inquiry has been opened on charges of murder and wilful violence with a weapon. It has been assigned to the Calvados division of organised and specialised crime. "We currently have one person in custody," confirmed the deputy prosecutor.
Terrorist motive ruled out at this stage
"For the moment we are not, apparently, in the context of a terrorist motive, but investigations are only just beginning," declared the deputy prosecutor, without providing further details about the identity of the deceased victims.
Bruno Coutanceau, deputy responsible for security at Caen town hall, clarified to an AFP journalist that the injured are "apparently all men", aged from 17 to around forty years old. According to witnesses, one of the deceased victims would be a young Afghan man aged 18 or 19.
On site, forensic and scientific police conducted surveys on the bus lanes situated in front of the station, near hotels and fast-food restaurants.
Source: France 24 - France