A car has ploughed into the outdoor terrace of a pizzeria in the small town of Sept-Sorts east of Paris, killing a 12-year-old girl and seriously injuring several others, a French Interior Ministry spokesman says.
Key points:
- Authorities say terrorism not believed to be a factor
- Outdoor eating area was packed with diners
- Five people have life-threatening injuries
He said the driver had deliberately targeted the diners but that the early indications were this was not an act of terrorism. Police arrested the driver.
“I cannot tell you that terrorism has been discounted, but it is not the leading line of inquiry at this point,” spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told BFM TV.
“The first indications don’t point towards terrorism.”
Mr Brandet later said the man was a “depressive” and was 32 years old.
Officers from the national gendarmerie put up a security cordon around the scene and urged the public not to hinder their operation.
The incident happened on a warm summer’s evening on the eve of a national holiday and witnesses said the outdoor eating area was busy.
A photo on social media showed a grey BMW car surrounded by upturned tables in the outdoor seating area of a restaurant.
Mr Brandet said five victims were being treated in hospital for life-threatening injuries.
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