More than a dozen people were injured, with several in critical condition, after a driver plowed through a busy intersection on Flinders Street in central Melbourne, Australia on Dec 21. Here’s what to know:
What happened?
At approximately 4:45pm local time, the driver of a white SUV plowed through pedestrians on Flinders Street, one of the busiest sections of Melbourne’s central commercial district. The vehicle “showed no signs of slowing” as it hit multiple pedestrians between Elizabeth and Swanston streets, Australia’s The Age newspaper reported, but it was not moving at high speed, eyewitnesses said.
Tallies of the wounded vary, but at least 14 people were inured in the incident, which police said they believe to have been “deliberate.” Several of the people injured are in critical condition.
A witness told radio station 3AW that she heard screams before she saw “people flying everywhere”.
“We saw this white car, it just mowed everybody down,” another local business-owner told The Age. “People are flying everywhere. We heard thump, thump. People are running everywhere.” According to eyewitnesses, there were 40-60 people crossing the road when the SUV entered the intersection.
Parts of Melbourne’s public transportation system were suspended in the afternoon, and police advised that access to Melbourne’s CBD would be curtailed “for a considerable period,” but city-wide terror alert alarms were not utilized. A planned Christmas light show was also cancelled.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews addressed the incident on Twitter, calling the attack “a horrible incident.”
“Stay safe. Check on your loved ones. And thank you to our brave emergency services,” Andrews said.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed the incident in a brief statement. “As our federal & state police & security agencies work together to secure the scene and investigate this shocking incident our thoughts & prayers are with the victims & the emergency & health workers who are treating them,” Turnbull wrote on Twitter. Australia’s opposition leader Bill Shorten also commented, saying “Shocking scenes in Melbourne this afternoon. Credit to first responders who are doing us proud once again. Thinking of everyone caught up in this atrocity.”
Who are the suspects?
Police arrested two suspects at the scene, including the driver of the car, a white Suzuki SUV. Sky News said the driver was of Middle Eastern appearance. A police officer at the scene described the incident as terrorism-related, but Victoria Police refused to comment on the motivation of the perpetrators.
“We believe based on what we’ve seen that this was a deliberate act. The motivation is unknown. It’s still early days in the investigation,” Commander Russel Berret told media at the scene.
Victoria Police have asked members of the public with video or photos of the incident to upload them to assist with the investigation, and have directed eyewitnesses to report to Melbourne West Police Station on Spencer Street, where welfare services are available.
How many people were injured?
Over a dozen people were injured, with 14 taken to the hospital according to Victoria Police, including three to the Alfred Hospital and three to Royal Melbourne Hospital. One of the injured is a pre-school-aged boy, who was taken to Royal Children’s Hospital in serious condition with a head injury.
Has it happened before?
This is the second such attack in Melbourne this year. On January 20, a driver crashed through lunch-time crowds along Bourke Street in central Melbourne, killing six people, including a 10-year-old girl and a three-month-old baby. At least 30 people were also injured in the incident.
The perpetrator, named as Dimitrious Gargasoulas, was charged with six counts of murder, along with 28 counts of attempted murder. At a hearing on Dec. 15, he plead “not guilty.”
Following that incident, Melbourne installed concrete blocks — known as bollards — at busy locations, including Flinders Street, in the hope of preventing or minimizing damage from vehicle attacks, the BBC reported. The blocks were also installed at various locations in Sydney.