A 35-year-old local fisherman deliberately drove his car into pedestrians and cyclists on the Île d'Oléron off France's west coast, injuring five people, two critically.
The incident unfolded over approximately 25 to 35 minutes starting around 8:40 a.m. local time, spanning areas between the villages of Dolus-d'Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron.
The driver struck victims in multiple locations, including a young girl and a 22-year-old woman who suffered multiple traumas.
He abandoned the vehicle, set it on fire with a gas canister reportedly inside, and fled before being subdued with a stun gun.
The suspect, a French citizen known to police for petty crimes such as drunk driving and drug offenses but not on any radicalization watchlist, shouted "Allahu Akbar" at the moment of arrest.
Authorities arrested the man in Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron on suspicion of attempted murder.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who visited the scene, described the driver's path as intentional, targeting people on foot or bicycles.
The mayor of Dolus-d'Oléron, Thibault Brechkoff, confirmed the suspect's local status and the attack's progression across villages, ending outside a bakery.
One critically injured victim is the parliamentary assistant of a far-right National Rally lawmaker.
The public prosecutor in La Rochelle leads the inquiry, with a decision pending on involving anti-terrorism authorities.
The motive remains unknown, with officials noting the suspect's lack of security service flags.
Possibilities under review include mental disturbance, personal disputes, or other factors.
The Île d'Oléron, France's second-largest metropolitan island after Corsica and linked by a bridge, is a popular holiday spot.
Witnesses reported a series of hits in various island spots.
The case stays with local prosecutors for now, as anti-terrorism involvement is not yet activated.