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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/dec/21/pedestrians-hit-by-a-car-on-melbournes-flinders-street-police-say
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| Pedestrians hit by vehicle on Melbourne's Flinders Street, police say | Pedestrians hit by vehicle on Melbourne's Flinders Street, police say |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Multiple people have been hit by a vehicle near Flinders street station in Melbourne with 14 injured, including a preschool-aged child with a head injury. | |
| Police say several of the victims are in a critical condition and they believe the incident was “a deliberate act” but do not know the driver’s motivations. Both the driver and a second man have been arrested but not charged. | |
| Police told a news conference on Thursday evening: “We believe, based on what we have seen, that it is a deliberate act. The motivations are unknown. It is still the early days of the investigation.” | |
| Police declined to comment on whether the event was terrorism related. | |
| Victoria police said in a statement on Thursday afternoon: “Police have saturated the CBD area following an incident where a car has collided with a number of pedestrians on Flinders Street. The incident occurred when the vehicle struck a number of pedestrians in front of Flinders Street station just after 4.30pm. | |
| “The driver of the vehicle and a second man have been arrested and are in police custody.” | “The driver of the vehicle and a second man have been arrested and are in police custody.” |
| Ambulance Victoria has confirmed 13 people have now been taken to city hospitals. One was the preschool child, who was taken to the Royal Children’s hospital. | |
| Police said the incident occurred between Elizabeth and Swanston streets and a crime scene had been established. | |
| “Police are asking any witnesses to go to the Melbourne West police station at 313 Spencer Street, Melbourne, and all vehicular and pedestrian traffic to avoid the area.” | “Police are asking any witnesses to go to the Melbourne West police station at 313 Spencer Street, Melbourne, and all vehicular and pedestrian traffic to avoid the area.” |
| Eyewitnesses told Sky News that the vehicle did not brake before hitting pedestrians and described the vehicle as a white SUV. | Eyewitnesses told Sky News that the vehicle did not brake before hitting pedestrians and described the vehicle as a white SUV. |
| Paramedics have now transported 13 people to city hospitals. Two more people are being assessed by paramedics at the scene. | Paramedics have now transported 13 people to city hospitals. Two more people are being assessed by paramedics at the scene. |
| On radio station 3AW, a woman, Sue, who was working on a nearby restaurant on Elizabeth Street, said she heard screams before she saw “people flying everywhere”. | On radio station 3AW, a woman, Sue, who was working on a nearby restaurant on Elizabeth Street, said she heard screams before she saw “people flying everywhere”. |
| “We could hear this noise,” she said. “As we looked left, we saw this white car, it just mowed everybody down. | “We could hear this noise,” she said. “As we looked left, we saw this white car, it just mowed everybody down. |
| “People are flying everywhere. We heard thump, thump. People are running everywhere.” | “People are flying everywhere. We heard thump, thump. People are running everywhere.” |
| Police are currently attending an incident on Flinders Street between Elizabeth and Swanston streets where a vehicle has collided with a number of pedestrians. Police have arrested the driver of the car. Extent of injuries are not known at this stage. (1/2) | Police are currently attending an incident on Flinders Street between Elizabeth and Swanston streets where a vehicle has collided with a number of pedestrians. Police have arrested the driver of the car. Extent of injuries are not known at this stage. (1/2) |
| The vehicle ran a red light just after 4.30pm on Thursday, witnesses told 3AW. | The vehicle ran a red light just after 4.30pm on Thursday, witnesses told 3AW. |
| The incident brought parts of the city to a standstill. Ambulance, fire and police cordoned off an increasingly large area of the southern section of the Melbourne CBD. Flinders Street station was closed. | |
| Rose Stoupas, who owns Walker’s Doughnuts on the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets, told the Guardian: “It was mayhem, there were people flying everywhere and the police have ordered all businesses to close their stores. | |
| “Lots of people were injured. I’m very shocked, the [car] is still there but pedestrians have been cleared mostly from the area. It’s a shitty, shitty day.” | |
| A witness, John, told ABC radio: “A car, an SUV coming at high speed and [I] really just heard the collision with people and bags and what must be shopping trolleys and I hope not prams ... It seems there were around 10 pedestrians involved.” | A witness, John, told ABC radio: “A car, an SUV coming at high speed and [I] really just heard the collision with people and bags and what must be shopping trolleys and I hope not prams ... It seems there were around 10 pedestrians involved.” |
| Aerial footage of the scene showed a white Suzuki SUV crashed into a tram stop. | Aerial footage of the scene showed a white Suzuki SUV crashed into a tram stop. |
| A witness, Jim, who owns a bakery on Flinders Street, said of the driver: “He seemed to be travelling at about 80-100km down Flinders Street in a westerly direction. The intersection was full of pedestrians and he ploughed through pedestrians. The only thing slowing him down was him hitting pedestrians. | A witness, Jim, who owns a bakery on Flinders Street, said of the driver: “He seemed to be travelling at about 80-100km down Flinders Street in a westerly direction. The intersection was full of pedestrians and he ploughed through pedestrians. The only thing slowing him down was him hitting pedestrians. |
| “There was no braking, there was no slowing down. He went straight through the intersection. So whether it was targeted, or whether he’s had a heart attack, or was drunk, I don’t know. | “There was no braking, there was no slowing down. He went straight through the intersection. So whether it was targeted, or whether he’s had a heart attack, or was drunk, I don’t know. |
| “He probably hit about 15 to 20 pedestrians. The car stopped because of just, I think, the amount of pedestrians that it had hit .... All you could hear was, ‘Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang’.” | “He probably hit about 15 to 20 pedestrians. The car stopped because of just, I think, the amount of pedestrians that it had hit .... All you could hear was, ‘Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang’.” |
| He described the vehicle as a white Suzuki Vitara. | He described the vehicle as a white Suzuki Vitara. |
| Another witness, David, told ABC radio: “I heard the engine rev and I heard the first thump and I turned around ... I just saw it [the vehicle] ploughing through pedestrians as everyone was crossing the road and then crashing into the tram stop.” | Another witness, David, told ABC radio: “I heard the engine rev and I heard the first thump and I turned around ... I just saw it [the vehicle] ploughing through pedestrians as everyone was crossing the road and then crashing into the tram stop.” |
| Police are continuing to urge Melburnians to avoid the area. The Swanston Street bridge is now closed to traffic. Train commuters have been urged to avoid Flinders Street station. | Police are continuing to urge Melburnians to avoid the area. The Swanston Street bridge is now closed to traffic. Train commuters have been urged to avoid Flinders Street station. |
| Victoria police have asked anybody with vision of the incident or its aftermath to upload that footage to its cloud. | Victoria police have asked anybody with vision of the incident or its aftermath to upload that footage to its cloud. |
| If members of the public have video or images which might assist police with their investigation into the Flinders Street incident they are encouraged to upload them here → https://t.co/oFfWkid509 pic.twitter.com/fzmX79HOv5 | If members of the public have video or images which might assist police with their investigation into the Flinders Street incident they are encouraged to upload them here → https://t.co/oFfWkid509 pic.twitter.com/fzmX79HOv5 |
| The incident has caused widespread traffic congestion. Flinders Street is closed between Swanston and Queen streets in both directions. Elizabeth Street is closed between Flinders and Bourke street. St Kilda road is closed at the Yarra river. | The incident has caused widespread traffic congestion. Flinders Street is closed between Swanston and Queen streets in both directions. Elizabeth Street is closed between Flinders and Bourke street. St Kilda road is closed at the Yarra river. |
| Chris Miller from VicRoads said Melburnians were being asked to defer travel around the CBD. | Chris Miller from VicRoads said Melburnians were being asked to defer travel around the CBD. |
| “If that is not possible, stay as far north as possible,” he said. | “If that is not possible, stay as far north as possible,” he said. |
| More to come ... | More to come ... |