A Belgian man, Paolo F., has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for killing seven people and injuring dozens more after deliberately driving into a group of carnival revelers in Strépy-Bracquegnies in 2022. The driver was traveling at 174 kilometers per hour in a 50-kilometer-per-hour zone and was filming himself at the time of the incident, stating he wanted to create a “fun video.” Investigators found the car had been illegally modified for increased speed. The court cited the driver’s “complete disregard for human life” and the use of the vehicle “as a weapon” as justification for the severe sentence. The victims were members of a local carnival group preparing for a parade, and the scene was described by witnesses as resembling a “war zone.” The court also noted the driver’s limited empathy and emotional detachment. He was immediately taken into custody following the verdict, having previously been under house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet.