Car rushes through Vatican gate, police fire at tires before arresting driver

A car driven by someone with apparent psychiatric problems rushed through a Vatican gate Thursday evening and sped past Swiss Guards into a palace courtyard before the driver was apprehended by police, the Holy See said.

The car drove through the Sant'Anna entrance to the Vatican at 8 PM, the Holy See press office said in a statement. After initially being turned away by the Pontifical Swiss Guard, the car left the gate and then returned at a high speed, "forcing his way through the two control gates," the statement said. 

In an attempt to stop the car, one of the Gendarmarie inspectors guarding the gate fired at the car's front tires. The car didn't stop, even though the bullet made contact with its front left fender.