Crime & Public Safety
Caen car ramming kills two; Russian man arrested
A Russian man of Chechen origin has been arrested after a deliberate car ramming in Caen, northern France, killed two men and wounded nine others, officials said Thursday.
The car ploughed into a group of people late Wednesday outside a bar in the Normandy port city after a dispute, said David Claviere, prefect of the Calvados department.
A police source said the incident followed a fight in which the suspect was set upon by several people. The source said he returned with his car, drove onto a bus lane in front of Caen station and deliberately drove into men and other people standing under a bus shelter.
One man was confirmed dead on Wednesday, and a police source said he was a 35-year-old Afghan. Regional prosecutor Joel Garrigue said the second person killed, aged 28, was also believed to be Afghan.
Garrigue said the nine wounded were all men aged 17 to 36. Seven were in critical condition. The prosecutor's office said several had fractures to the lower limbs. A police source said the victims included men of French, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sudanese nationalities.
The 26-year-old driver fled the scene and was apprehended in the neighbouring port of Ouistreham after a major search operation, the gendarmerie said.
The Caen prosecutor's office said there was apparently no terrorist motive, but added that the investigation was only just beginning.
Authorities said the suspect was lawfully residing in France, was not known to intelligence services and had never been convicted of a crime. The prosecutor said the man was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
During questioning, the suspect reported that he had been the victim of violence on the station forecourt before the ramming, Garrigue said. The prosecutor said the statement would be verified.
Update
Officials said police arrested a Russian man of Chechen origin after the deliberate car ramming in Caen.
The two men killed were both believed to be Afghans, according to officials.
The regional prosecutor said nine men aged 17 to 36 were wounded, seven critically.
The Caen prosecutor's office said there was apparently no terrorist motive, while noting that the investigation had only just begun.
Authorities said the suspect was lawfully residing in France, was not known to intelligence services and had never been convicted of a crime.
The prosecutor said the suspect reported having been the victim of violence on the station forecourt before the incident, and that his statements would be verified.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 August 2026 at 10:10:00 UTC.
Update
French police said a second person died early Thursday after the Caen car ramming.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 August 2026 at 07:04:31 UTC.
Update
Local prefect David Claviere said seven injured people were in critical condition and three had minor injuries.
The deputy prosecutor said the incident was not currently thought to have a terrorist motive.
The suspect was described as a 26-year-old man born in Russia, known to police only for traffic offences and not known to intelligence services.
Police opened an investigation on charges of murder and aggravated assault.
A Caen security official said all the victims seemed to be men aged between 17 and 40.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 August 2026 at 01:12:42 UTC.
Update
A police source said the man fled and was later arrested 20 kilometres away.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 August 2026 at 22:46:03 UTC.
Update
The incident happened in Caen in northwestern France, near the city's train station.
Ten people were injured in addition to the person killed.
Firefighters said four people were seriously injured and six were lightly hurt.
A police source said the car was rammed into the crowd after a fight in the area.
One suspect was arrested.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 August 2026 at 22:25:36 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The motive remains under investigation.
Officials said both men killed were believed to be Afghans, but the supplied material did not state that both nationalities had been finally confirmed.
The suspect's account that he was attacked before the ramming has not been verified.
Source
AFP news report published on .