Terror alert as driver mows down crowd of Christmas shoppers
A DRIVER believed to have deliberately mowed down a crowd of Christmas shoppers in Melbourne was mentally ill, police said yesterday.
Initially, it was feared that the incident in the Australian city was a terrorist attack – mirroring similar atrocities in Britain and Europe.
Horrified eye- witnesses told how the pedestrians were sent hurtling as the 4 x 4 ploughed into them leaving 19 people hospitalised, four of them critically injured. A young child was among those hurt, according to the ambulance service.
The 32- year- old driver, an Australian national of Afghan descent, was arrested by an off- duty police officer at the scene.
Business owner Jim Stoupas, who saw the 4 x 4, said: “It just barrelled through a completely full intersection of pedestrians.
“There was no attempt to brake, no attempt to swerve.”
He added: “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.”
The driver was taken to hospital, under police guard, along with the off- duty officer who sustained shoulder and hand injuries during the arrest just after 4.30pm local time – about 5.30am in the UK.
It emerged last night the suspect was known to police. A spokesman said: “He has historical assault matters and has a history of drug use as well as mental health issues.
“We understand that he was on a mental health plan and receiving treatment.
“We do not at this time have any intelligence to indicate that there is a connection to terrorism.”
Detectives said a second man, 24, was also detained after being seen filming the incident. He was found to have a bag of knives with him.
The police spokesman added: “It is now believed he had no links to the incident. However, he is still assisting police with inquiries.”