Caen car attack: Suspect facing investigation after two killed

A 26-year-old Russian national of Chechen origin is facing judicial investigation following a deliberate car attack near the Caen train station in France. The incident, which occurred on a Wednesday evening, resulted in two deaths and nine injuries after the suspect drove into a group of young men of various nationalities, including Afghans.

Prosecutor Joël Garrigue stated that evidence suggests the driver did not attempt to brake or avoid the victims, but instead “deviated his trajectory to make contact with the victims.” While the prosecutor has formally ruled out the “hypothesis of a terrorist act,” investigators are exploring several motives. The prosecutor noted the incident “could fall within a context of animosity between the Chechen and Afghan communities,” while the Mayor of Caen, Aristide Olivier, suggested a possible “romantic dispute” as an alternative theory.

The suspect, who resides in France legally and has no prior criminal record or known ties to radicalization, faces charges of murder and attempted murder, which carry potential life sentences.