At least fourteen people have been injured, with several in critical conditions after a man ran a white SUV into a crowd in Melbourne Australia on Thursday.
The suspect, a 32-year-old Australian of Afghan has since been taken into custody by the police after a struggle at the scene of the incident. He is said to have had a history of drug use and mental health problems and was not believed to have been motivated by extremism.
A second man, 24, was arrested after being seen filming the incident. He had a bag of knives with him, police says.
“It is now believed he had no links to the incident, however, he is still assisting police with enquiries,” police adds.
The driver was arrested by an off-duty police officer. Police say he was the only person in the car. The officer sustained shoulder and hand injuries during the arrest and was taken to the hospital. The suspect was also taken to an hospital, under police guard.
Witness Jim Stoupas, who runs a business nearby, tells the BBC: “It just barrelled through a completely full intersection of pedestrians. There was no attempt to brake, no attempt to swerve.”
He adds: “I saw probably five to eight people on the ground with people swarming around them (to help). Within a minute, I think, there were police on site, so it was very, very speedy.”
Victoria Ambulance said in a statement that a child of pre-school age with serious head injuries was among those taken to an hospital.
Another witness, Lachlan Read, tells the Herald Sun the whole incident lasted about 15 seconds.
“He has gone straight through the red light at pace and it was bang, bang, bang. It was just one after the other,” he said of the moment the vehicle started hitting people.
Rossella Belardi tells the BBC she was coming out of Flinders Street Station when she saw people running. “Many people were on the floor and smoke was coming out of the car.”
She adds: “Police and the ambulance service were incredible. They came immediately out of nowhere.”
Meanwhile, normality seemed have returned fairly quickly after the incident according to the Telegraph. People calmly walked from the scene, talking on their telephones, without any sign of panic. The area was cordoned off, although tourists were allowed to return to their hotels.
GOD will see all of us true
Please when will nigeria be free from bribery and corruption?
But let’s be frank…. When will this reign of terror end.
Only GOD knows
This is absurd
You guys are funny oo
Nawa oo… Thank God no life was lost in the process
Thanks, that was the first comment am supposed to see here
the pre school child with head injuries, too bad.
the guy with the bag of knives forming video coverage, arrest him.
Lolz is that so
Chaii! U just here some kind of news and u marvel. Hmmmm!
Abi
The Second Man with the bags of knives should be properly investigated by the police because it’s obvious he knows something. What will a sane person be doing there at that point in time holding up a camera? He might have mental issues just like the first guy.
As i have earlierly said may be he was bribed
The second guy if na. Our police ehn he go confess ohh wetin u use knives dey do for that time.you dey sell suya
May be they are bribed already
The second guy if na. Our police ehn he go confess ohh wetin u use knives dey do
You are on point Dear
Nawa iooo during this Christmas Again ????
Lol…too bad though the worst part is they can discharge and say its due to mental illness and put him in a rehab home
You know people now