Two people were killed and nine others injured after a man drove a car into a group of pedestrians in the northwestern French city of Caen late Wednesday, authorities said.

The incident occurred at around 10:15 p.m. local time near the city's train station, when a vehicle deliberately struck pedestrians following what police described as a confrontation.

Local prefect David Clavière said the driver “deliberately drove into pedestrians in the street opposite the train station.” Seven of those injured were reported to be in critical condition, while three others suffered minor injuries.

The initial reports gave differing casualty figures, with local authorities subsequently confirming that two people had died and nine others were injured.

The suspect, a 26-year-old man born in Russia, fled the scene immediately after the crash, according to police.

He was later arrested in Ouistreham, a coastal town approximately 20 kilometers from Caen.

Authorities said the suspect was not known to France's intelligence services and had previously come to police attention only for traffic-related offenses.

Police have opened a criminal investigation on charges including murder and aggravated assault as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Despite the deliberate nature of the attack, the deputy public prosecutor said there was currently no indication of a terrorist motive.

A police source said the incident was believed to have followed a fight, although investigators have yet to establish precisely what triggered the confrontation or why the suspect drove his vehicle into the pedestrians.

Authorities are continuing to question the suspect and examine evidence from the scene, including witness accounts and available surveillance footage.

Emergency services quickly responded to the area around Caen's railway station, while police secured the scene and began collecting evidence.

Investigators are expected to examine the suspect's movements before and after the incident, the circumstances of the reported altercation and whether alcohol, drugs or other factors played any role.

The motive remains under investigation, and authorities have not indicated that the incident was connected to any wider extremist organization.

The attack has nevertheless shocked residents of Caen, a major city in Normandy, as investigators work to determine exactly what led to the deadly confrontation. (ILKHA)