Meloni canceled her international visit following the deadly hit-and-run incident involving pedestrians in Modena

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni decided to urgently change her schedule and visit the city of Modena, where a high-profile emergency involving mass casualties had occurred the day before. To travel to the scene of the tragedy, the prime minister was forced to cancel a previously scheduled official visit to Nicosia, where she was to meet with the President of Cyprus.

This was reported by Reuters. In addition to the head of government, Italian President Sergio Mattarella also traveled to the affected region to coordinate efforts and support citizens.

The local prosecutor’s office has officially launched a large-scale investigation into the detained driver, who is charged with attempted mass murder and intentionally causing serious bodily harm. Law enforcement officials are currently trying to determine the exact motives behind the act, which resulted in the hospitalization of eight pedestrians. City authorities have disclosed that the detained suspect had previously come to the attention of specialized services, as he had undergone compulsory treatment for a diagnosed schizoid personality disorder, but subsequently stopped attending medical facilities.

In Modena, Italy, a man drove his car into pedestrians in the city center, then got out of the car and attacked people with a knife. At least seven people were injured in the incident.

The suspect in the ramming of pedestrians in a pedestrian zone in Leipzig, Germany, turned out to be a 33-year-old local resident. According to media reports, the man had previously come to the attention of law enforcement. As a result of the incident, two people were killed and about 20 others were injured.