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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jan/20/car-pedestrians-bourke-street-melbourne
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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Three killed after car mows down pedestrians in Melbourne | Three killed after car mows down pedestrians in Melbourne |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three people are dead, including a young child, and more than 20 injured after a car drove into pedestrians in Bourke Street mall, one of the busiest areas in Melbourne’s central business district. | |
| On Friday afternoon Victoria police confirmed a young child was among the dead, but could not give any further details about the victims. | |
| Images showed scenes of carnage in the street, with a badly damaged red car, people trying to help the injured and an upturned pram on the corner of William and Bourke streets. | |
| In a statement police said they the driver had been shot and was being treated for non-life-threatening injures. They said it was a deliberate act, but not linked to terrorism. | |
| Police said the incident was connected to a stabbing that took place in the suburb of Windsor earlier in the day involving parties known to one another. They believe the same man took a woman hostage in his car. The woman managed to escape from the car on the Bolte Bridge, west of the city centre, they said. | |
| Acting Commander Stuart Bateson said there was no longer any risk to the public. “A male deliberately drove into pedestrians in the Bourke Street mall,” Bateson said. | Acting Commander Stuart Bateson said there was no longer any risk to the public. “A male deliberately drove into pedestrians in the Bourke Street mall,” Bateson said. |
| “We currently have three deceased and 20 injuries … We believe it is connected to an earlier stabbing in the southern metro region.” | “We currently have three deceased and 20 injuries … We believe it is connected to an earlier stabbing in the southern metro region.” |
| That stabbing occurred in the suburb of Windsor, to the south-east of Melbourne’s city centre, and left a man in hospital in a critical condition. The victim is understood to have known the attacker. | That stabbing occurred in the suburb of Windsor, to the south-east of Melbourne’s city centre, and left a man in hospital in a critical condition. The victim is understood to have known the attacker. |
| The car was reportedly driving erratically before it mounted the footpath and hit a number of pedestrians, according to witnesses. | The car was reportedly driving erratically before it mounted the footpath and hit a number of pedestrians, according to witnesses. |
| Vision shows the car earlier driving in tight circles outside Flinders Street station. | Vision shows the car earlier driving in tight circles outside Flinders Street station. |
| “At this early stage it is believed a man driving a vehicle has struck a number of pedestrians in the vicinity of Bourke and Queens Streets just before 2pm,” Victoria police said in a statement. | “At this early stage it is believed a man driving a vehicle has struck a number of pedestrians in the vicinity of Bourke and Queens Streets just before 2pm,” Victoria police said in a statement. |
| “Emergency services are assisting multiple patients.” | “Emergency services are assisting multiple patients.” |
| A witness, Hank Kerr, said he had seen people jumping out of the way but there were also people being hit and thrown to one side. “All we could see was just the car and carnage – people were flying everywhere.” | A witness, Hank Kerr, said he had seen people jumping out of the way but there were also people being hit and thrown to one side. “All we could see was just the car and carnage – people were flying everywhere.” |
| Kerr said the car had mounted the footpath and kept driving up Bourke Street through crowds of pedestrians. | Kerr said the car had mounted the footpath and kept driving up Bourke Street through crowds of pedestrians. |
| Hank Kerr was on the 96 tram when he saw a car hitting pedestrians in Bourke St. pic.twitter.com/k8o3c4LQjx | Hank Kerr was on the 96 tram when he saw a car hitting pedestrians in Bourke St. pic.twitter.com/k8o3c4LQjx |
| Another witness, who did not wish to be named, said he was walking from the post office towards the Bourke and Elizabeth street intersection when he heard a car “screaming down” the Bourke Street mall at high speed, which is for pedestrians and trams only. | Another witness, who did not wish to be named, said he was walking from the post office towards the Bourke and Elizabeth street intersection when he heard a car “screaming down” the Bourke Street mall at high speed, which is for pedestrians and trams only. |
| “Because it was so loud I looked up and I saw one person bounce off the windscreen of the car before it disappeared down Bourke Street towards Spencer Street, and police cars were following it and a helicopter chasing it,” he told Guardian Australia. | “Because it was so loud I looked up and I saw one person bounce off the windscreen of the car before it disappeared down Bourke Street towards Spencer Street, and police cars were following it and a helicopter chasing it,” he told Guardian Australia. |
| “I could see at least two groups of injured people. I saw someone lying on the ground near the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth and then someone else down near Bourke Street. Now they’ve blocked off all the streets.” | “I could see at least two groups of injured people. I saw someone lying on the ground near the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth and then someone else down near Bourke Street. Now they’ve blocked off all the streets.” |
| According to another, Meg Watson, the car mounted the kerb “at pace” and struck pedestrians. | According to another, Meg Watson, the car mounted the kerb “at pace” and struck pedestrians. |
| A car mounted the sidewalk at pace and sent at least half a dozen pedestrians flying in the air. I was on the other side of the road. https://t.co/tSflMvpn2k | A car mounted the sidewalk at pace and sent at least half a dozen pedestrians flying in the air. I was on the other side of the road. https://t.co/tSflMvpn2k |
| Victoria police said the circumstances were being investigated and pedestrian access to Bourke Street between William and Swanston streets had been closed. | Victoria police said the circumstances were being investigated and pedestrian access to Bourke Street between William and Swanston streets had been closed. |
| The corner of Bourke and Elizabeth streets was closed and some pedestrians were directed into the GPO by police as they tried to clear the area. | The corner of Bourke and Elizabeth streets was closed and some pedestrians were directed into the GPO by police as they tried to clear the area. |
| The four children are being treated at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Three are in a serious condition and one is critical. | The four children are being treated at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Three are in a serious condition and one is critical. |
| The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, and the police chief commissioner, Graham Ashton, are expected to hold a joint press conference at 5pm. | The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, and the police chief commissioner, Graham Ashton, are expected to hold a joint press conference at 5pm. |
| The federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, described the scenes as “horrific”, tweeting: “Horrific scenes in Melbourne this afternoon. Hearts go out to all those who’ve been hurt.” | The federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, described the scenes as “horrific”, tweeting: “Horrific scenes in Melbourne this afternoon. Hearts go out to all those who’ve been hurt.” |
| More than 10 police cars in the area. #bourkestreet corner #elizabethstreet closed to traffic. pic.twitter.com/etTln2A1kp | More than 10 police cars in the area. #bourkestreet corner #elizabethstreet closed to traffic. pic.twitter.com/etTln2A1kp |
| Girlfriend phoned from Bourke Street. Saw multiple people struck by car. Police on scene. Keep out of the area. Stay safe @abcnewsMelb | Girlfriend phoned from Bourke Street. Saw multiple people struck by car. Police on scene. Keep out of the area. Stay safe @abcnewsMelb |
| #MELBOURNE: MAJOR INCIDENT ON BOURKE STREET pic.twitter.com/R68h3TmGZD | #MELBOURNE: MAJOR INCIDENT ON BOURKE STREET pic.twitter.com/R68h3TmGZD |
| Just in happening in Melbourne @BenedictBrook @newscomauHQ pic.twitter.com/3jfv9Y5KQ3 | Just in happening in Melbourne @BenedictBrook @newscomauHQ pic.twitter.com/3jfv9Y5KQ3 |
| BREAKING PICS JUST IN: A police pursuit took place through Bourke Street mall. The mall is now in lockdown. More to come. #9News pic.twitter.com/VN5tF9S03o | BREAKING PICS JUST IN: A police pursuit took place through Bourke Street mall. The mall is now in lockdown. More to come. #9News pic.twitter.com/VN5tF9S03o |