2025 Island of Oléron car ramming
| 2025 Island of Oléron car ramming | |
|---|---|
2025 Island of Oléron car ramming (Charente-Maritime) | |
| Location | 45°54′43″N 1°15′35″W / 45.9119°N 1.2597°W Dolus-d'Oléron, Charente-Maritime, France |
| Date | 5 November 2025 08:45–09:20 (UTC+1) |
| Target | Pedestrians and cyclists |
Attack type | Vehicle-ramming attack |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injured | 5 |
| Motive | Under investigation |
| Accused | Jean G.[1] |
On 5 November 2025, a car ramming occurred in Dolus-d'Oléron, a village on the French island of Oléron, in which a man deliberately drove a car into a crowd of pedestrians and cyclists, injuring at least five people, including two critically. The perpetrator shouted "Allahu Akbar", as his motive is currently under investigation.
Background
The island of Oléron is known as a popular tourist site, on the Atlantic coast of France.[2][3]
Incident
According to reports, a man intentionally drove a car into pedestrians and cyclists on Ochre Street in Dolus-d'Oléron. He then tried to set the car on fire with a gas canister inside, but he was arrested by local law enforcement officers while shouting "Allahu Akbar".[4][5]
The man arrested was 35 years old and from a nearby village. It is reported he has a background of legal trouble. He was detained and is under investigation for attempted murder and terrorism related charges.[3][6]
Casualties
Several people injured, two of them in critical condition.[4][5] A 22-year-old pedestrian and a 69-year-old cyclist are in critical condition and were airlifted to hospitals in La Rochelle and Poitiers, two cities on the mainland. French parliamentarian Joëlle Mélin identified the 22-year-old as Emma Vallain, an aide to National Rally right-wing politician Pascal Markowsky. Vallain was critically injured and received treatment at a local hospital.[7]
Investigation
French officials quickly launched an investigation into the motives and planning for the attack. Christophe Sueur, the mayor of Dolus-d'Oléron, confirmed the incident and said the suspect was caught. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, and some were flown there by air ambulance.[3][5][6] According to CNN, France's national anti-terror prosecutor's office is also monitoring the case.[4]
Suspect
The suspect, arrested minutes after the incident, lives alone in a mobile home on the island. He is believed to be 35 year-old Jean G., who stated that he had recently discovered Islam and that Allah had entrusted him with a mission.[1] Investigators are looking into his possible radicalization within recent weeks. He was already known to police for drug trafficking, violence, and property damage. He had two prior convictions for theft and traffic offenses. In the village, he was also known for his alcohol and drug use.[8] His understanding of religion remains unclear. Indeed, the suspect recently converted to Islam and told investigators he acted "in the name of Allah." Religious texts were also found at his home. However, the driver had contacted the parish of Oléron in September with the intention of being baptized.[9][10]
The man, who admitted to deliberately running down five people, "said he regretted his actions" at the end of his police custody. During his detention, the unemployed suspect, who had no children, explained that he had "followed the orders of Allah," "without any outside help," and that he had "wanted to die by self-immolation." The prosecutor of La Rochelle explained at a press conference that he had initially turned to Catholicism before converting to Islam, specifying that at this stage, there was "no jihadist dimension" to his actions. Described as a polydrug user, the man in his thirties was under the influence of cannabis at the time of the incident. His initial psychiatric evaluation while in custody revealed an "impairment," but not a "complete absence," of his judgment.[11]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Oléron : en garde à vue, l'assaillant a déclaré avoir récemment découvert l'islam et qu'Allah lui avait confié une mission". Le Figaro (in French).
- ^ Krupa, Jakub (5 November 2025). "Two people in intensive care and multiple injured after car driven into pedestrians on French island – Europe live". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Gozzi, Laura; Kirby, Paul (5 November 2025). "Two critically injured after driver rams into people on French island". BBC News. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Haq, Sana Noor (5 November 2025). "Car ramming injures 10 people on French island, interior minister says". CNN. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Allen, Peter; Mallett, Christopher; Kipling, Ella (5 November 2025). "Driver 'shouting Allahu Akbar' rams into crowd as victims rushed to hospital". The Mirror. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Driver rams car into people on French island of Île d'Oléron". euronews. 5 November 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "France: Driver Shouts 'Allahu Akbar' After Plowing Into Pedestrians". Newsweek.
- ^ "Île d'Oléron : qui est l'homme qui a percuté cinq personnes ?". tf1info (in French).
- ^ "Piétons fauchés sur l'Île d'Oléron : état des victimes, suspect à la religion floue… que retenir des déclarations du procureur". La Dépêche du Midi (in French).
- ^ "INFO « SUD OUEST ». Attaque dans l'île d'Oléron : le suspect avait entamé des démarches pour se faire baptiser". Sud Ouest (newspaper) (in French).
- ^ "Passants percutés sur l'île d'Oléron : le suspect a dit "regretter son acte" en fin de garde à vue, assure le procureur". Ici (radio network) (in French).