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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Calla Wahlquist (now) and Christopher Knaus (earlier)

Flinders Street crash: no evidence of terror link, say police – as it happened

Police expected to remain in place until 2am

The police cordon is still in place in Flinders Street, Guardian Australia’s Melbourne bureau chief Melissa Davey says.

Acting police commissioner Shane Patton told reporters earlier this evening that he hoped the scene would be cleared by 2am, but he’s not making any guarantees. By 6am, the Flinders and Elizabeth Street intersection will start to fill up with commuters again. It’s one of two major entrances to Flinders Street Station.

Police will give another update tomorrow morning but for now I’ll leave you with this piece by Melissa Davey and Ben Doherty on the chaos following the incident, and this story which has all the details you need to know.

To recap the significant details:

  • 19 people are injured, four critically, after being hit by a car at a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Flinders and Elizabeth Streets, Melbourne.
  • Police have arrested a 32-year-old man alleged to be the driver of the car and a 24-year-old man who is not believed to be connected to the incident, but was a bystander arrested by police at the scene.
  • Police say it is an isolated incident and they “do not have any evidence or any intelligence to indicate there is a connection with terrorism.”

Updated

Police have released details of the 19 people injured in today’s incident.

They include:

  • A four-year-old boy;
  • The 32-year-old alleged driver, who is under police guard at hospital;
  • The off-duty police sergeant who arrested him;
  • Eight other men aged 25, 40, 43, 45 and 83, plus three whose ages are unknown;
  • Eight women aged 30, 35, 47 and 58, two 25-year-olds, and two of unknown age.

Fifteen are in a stable condition, four are critically injured.

Here is a video of police making an arrest at Flinders Street earlier today.

Again, police arrested two men: the 32-year-old alleged driver and another, unconnected 24-year-old man who was arrested after police searched his bag.

Updated

After Bourke Street, the Victorian government installed concrete bollards around Melbourne to prevent vehicles from going into pedestrian areas.

The SUV involved in today’s incident was travelling along Flinders Street and then drove along the tram tracks, striking pedestrians as they crossed the road. Neither the road nor the tram tracks can be blocked with bollards.

The premier, Daniel Andrews, said trying to shore up those areas would “change the nature of the city for everybody forever”.

He told reporters at that earlier press conference:

The point that you raise around the tram tracks, that is a unique engineering challenge. We have delivered temporary and permanent solutions where that is possible.

But there are some features of our city, to make them completely and utterly safe from a terrible, horrific, one-off events like this, would be to change the nature of the city for everybody forever.

Having said that, let me be clear with all Victorians, that there will be proper inquiries, there will be a full review of what has occurred here in the normal way, and any learnings, any changes that need to be made, of course the government stands ready to make those changes.

Updated

What we learned from that press conference

  • The alleged driver of the car is a 32-year-old Australian citizen of Afghan descent who was arrested at the scene by an off-duty police officer.
  • The man is known to police but there is no evidence or intelligence connecting either him or this incident to terrorism or extremism.
  • Police say he does have a history of drug use and mental health issues and they are investigating those issues in connection to the incident.
  • Another man, 24, was arrested a short time after the incident. He was filming it on his mobile phone and was searched by police, who allegedly found knives in his bag. Police do not believe he knows the 32-year-old man or is connected in any way.
  • Nineteen people were injured and taken to hospital for treatment, including the alleged driver and the arresting off-duty officer.
  • Four people are critically injured, while 15 are in a stable condition.
  • Police say this was a “quarantined” incident and does not increase the risk at major upcoming events like the Boxing Day Test.

Updated

The assistant commissioner, Shane Patton, has been asked again if there are any possible connections to terrorism.

Reporter:

To clarify, does either suspect have any known history of extremism or radicalisation at this time?

Patton:

To be perfectly clear and reiterate once again, neither of the two persons taken into custody, we do not have any intelligence or any evidence or any suggestion of extremism nor involvement in any is related matters.

On the second person arrested, the 24-year-old man, he said:

We not yet been determined whether he was involved, and it is quite probable he was not. We are still exploring that.

Updated

Not a ‘lone wolf incident’, just an incident

The acting police commissioner, Shane Patton, says that police believe the incident is more connected to drug and mental health issues than any national security concerns.

He tells a reporter you should not call it a “lone wolf” incident.

I think to describe this as a lone wolf incident is probably not apt. This is an horrific incident where a person drove directly at pedestrians. It is a crime and we will be fully exploring that ... as I have said earlier, one of the key aspects we are exploring is in respect to mental health backgrounds and drug use in respect of this individual.

We will work through that and see if there are any learnings.

Patton alleged the driver drove up the tram tracks on Flinders Street and hit pedestrians in the intersection.

He said he was “loath” to call it a repeat incident from the Bourke Street tragedy.

This is a separate incident and the reasons why it has occurred, the causation, the responsibility, that is what we are exploring.

Both Patton and the premier, Daniel Andrews, have urged Melburnians to go about their normal lives and not to avoid public events – they say there is no increased threat level.

Updated

19 injured, four critically

The premier, Daniel Andrews, says four of the 19 people injured in the incident are critically injured, while the remaining 15 are in a stable condition.

The patient in the Royal Children’s Hospital is in a stable condition.

Both the alleged driver and the off-duty police officer who arrested him are among those receiving treatment for less serious injuries.

On the off-duty officer, Andrews said:

I think we would be right to single him out for special praise for the way in which she instinctively came to the aid of others.

Andrews said the incident was “an act of evil”.

What occurred on Flinders Street this afternoon was an act of evil. And an act of cowardice.

At a time of the year when so many families are celebrating the end to the, doing their Christmas shopping, making plans for what should we are festive season, we have seen a horrific act, an evil act, an act of cowardice, perpetrated against innocent bystanders.

We are all caught up in this. We are all deeply saddens and deeply wounded by this terrible act.

Updated

No evidence of connection to terrorism, police say

The acting police commissioner, Shane Patton, is speaking in Melbourne. He says there is no evidence the incident is connected to terrorism.

At this time we do not have any evidence for any intelligence to indicate there is a connection with terrorism. I want to reiterate that. At this time we do not have any evidence or intelligence to indicate a connection with terrorism. Having said that, however, we continue to support this investigation without counterterrorism command to ensure that there isn’t that connection and that there is no ongoing threat.

Patton said the alleged driver of the car was a 32-year-old man of Afghan descent who was known to police. He is not currently on bail or subject to any corrections order but has

a history of drug use and mental health issues.

The driver was arrested by an off-duty police officer, who is one of the 19 people injured in the incident.

The other man who was arrested, a 24-year-old man, was not connected to the incident but was seen filming the incident and allegedly had knives in his bag, Patton said.

Police are satisfied only one person was in the car.

Updated

Police just released the following statement:

The investigation into the incident where a number of pedestrians were struck in the Melbourne CBD this afternoon continues.

At 4.41pm a white 4WD struck a number of pedestrians at the intersection of Flinders and Elizabeth Street.

Police arrived within seconds of the incident and arrested two men at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle, a 19-year-old man, was arrested by an off-duty male police officer shortly after followed by general duties police and members from the critical incident response team (CIRT).

The officer sustained shoulder and hand injuries during the arrest and has been conveyed to hospital.

The driver has been taken to hospital under police guard.

The second person arrested, a 24-year-old man, was arrested by CIRT.

It’s now believed he had no links to the incident, however he is still assisting police with enquiries.

Nineteen pedestrians were injured during the incident and conveyed to hospital.

Two people were also treated for non-collision related injuries.

At this time police believe this is a deliberate act, however it is only early in the investigation.

Updated

The press conference with police and the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is about to start.

Updated

St Paul’s Cathedral, which towers over Flinders Street about 250m from the crash site, has released a brief statement and photo that prominently features a sign saying “Let’s fully welcome refugees”.

That sign has been a feature of Melbourne for a number of years. It is, said one observer, “a reminder of the loving nature of Melbourne”.

People have also praised the actions of bystanders in rushing to help those injured and the general level of concern shown by people in the street even some hours after the attack.

That was also remarked upon following the Bourke Street tragedy 11 months ago.

Updated

Melbourne bureau chief Melissa Davey has updated our main story on the incident, wrapping in what we know so far. You can read it here:

Tony Walker is the chief executive of Ambulance Victoria.

Melbourne MP Adam Bandt has made another short statement:

The premier, Daniel Andrews, the police minister, Lisa Neville, and the acting Victoria police commissioner, Shane Patton, will hold a joint press conference at 9.30pm.

Updated

Andrews government ministers have praised the work of emergency services this afternoon.

Federal MP for Melbourne, Adam Bandt, said he was “thinking of everyone in the city right now.”

We still haven’t heard any update on the 14 people injured in the incident.

Ambulance Victoria said it carried 13 people to hospital, including three to the Alfred hospital and three to Royal Melbourne hospital, Melbourne’s leading trauma hospitals.

Police said a number of those taken to hospital are critically injured. Among them is a preschool-aged child, who is reported to have suffered head injuries.

Updated

The incident comes one day after Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announced plans for a public memorial of the Bourke Street tragedy, which occurred on 20 January, 2017.

Six people were killed and 27 injured when a car ran into pedestrians in Melbourne’s Bourke Street mall, which is three blocks up from the intersection on Flinders Street, where the incident occurred this afternoon.

Melbourne man Dimitrious Gargasoulas, 27, has pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder.

There is no suggestion of a connection between the two incidents. As previously reported, police have said it is too early in their investigations to comment on the motivations of the driver in this afternoon’s incident.

Updated

Christmas event cancelled:

Police commander Russell Barrett addressing the media at 7pm. He said police believed it was ‘a deliberate act’
Police commander Russell Barrett addressing the media at 7pm. He said police believed it was ‘a deliberate act’. Photograph: James Ross/EPA

This is the scene looking back along Flinders Street to Swanston Street. The white SUV that went through the intersection came to rest when it hit the concrete barrier of the tram stop.

Emergency services at the scene of the incident on Flinders Street earlier this afternoon.
Emergency services at the scene of the incident on Flinders Street earlier this afternoon. Photograph: Joe Castro/EPA

Updated

Police have made a number of requests for any videos or photos that people may have of the incident. They can be submitted here, the link is also in the below tweet.

Updated

The City of Melbourne has rereleased that statement, which was posted then deleted by deputy mayor Arron Wood earlier.

Updated

New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has also offered her support.

Updated

Turnbull: this is a "shocking incident"

Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has issued a brief statement on twitter about the incident.

The Herald Sun’s Rob Harris reported earlier that the incident had not yet been elevated to the National Security Committee because the motives of the driver remained unclear.

Updated

Police have been progressively pushing back their cordon to allow investigators clear access to the scene.

A police car at a police cordon on Princes Bridge, Swanston Street, a block away from the Elizabeth Street intersection.
A police car at a police cordon on Princes Bridge, Swanston Street, a block away from the Elizabeth Street intersection. Photograph: Mark Peterson/AFP/Getty Images

Traffic along Flinders Street has been blocked from Queens Bridge, on Market Street, to Swanston Street. The police cordon has been pushed back several hundred metres from the Elizabeth Street intersection, to Queen Street in the east and Swanston Street in the west.

A police car at the cordon at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Street, a block west of the incident site.
A police car at the cordon at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Street, a block west of the incident site. Photograph: Mark Peterson/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

This was the scene on Flinders Street shortly after the incident.

What we know so far

  • Police are yet to give a clear indication of the motivation for the crash, but we are starting to get a clear indication of how it occurred.
  • The white SUV ran through the intersection on Flinders and Elizabeth Streets in Melbourne around 4.45pm.
  • According to various eyewitness reports, it reached pedestrians about six or seven seconds after pedestrians were given the green light to cross the road.
  • It came from the Swanston Street end of Flinders Street and hit a number of pedestrians before striking the concrete barrier of the tram stop on Flinders Street just past the Elizabeth Street intersection.
  • That intersection is one of the busiest in Melbourne and is multi-directional, meaning that when the pedestrian lights go, people cross on the diagonal and swarm the road. Witnesses say between 40 and 60 people where in the interaction when the SUV went through.
  • One witness told the ABC that a number of bystanders responded quickly to assist those who had been injured, and one immediately approached the driver’s side of the car. The suggestion is they attempted to detain them.
  • Police arrived within minutes.
  • The male driver was arrested very quickly by police, and a second man, who was also alleged to have been in the car, has also been arrested.
  • Fourteen people have been injured and taken to various hospitals around the city. Police have said a number of those injuries are critical. One of those injured is a young child, who it has been reported had head injuries.
  • Police say have said the crash was a “deliberate act” but it is too early to know what motivated it.

Updated

A Nine News journalist, Brett Mcleod, has tweeted what he describes as an image of a man being dragged from the white vehicle.

Melbourne deputy mayor Arron Wood, who is currently acting Lord Mayor as Robert Doyle has stood aside, just released the following statement:

There has been an awful incident in the CBD this evening.

At this stage, the details of this incident are not fully known.

What is known is this: A vehicle has struck and injured at least 13 pedestrians at the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders streets. Victoria Police have arrested two men. Our emergency serves, including Victoria Police, have control of this situation. We have every confidence in them to protect Melbourne in such horrific circumstances.

We have the best advice available to us and we will continue to work with the state government and Victoria Police to keep people safe.

At this time our thoughts are with those most affected and of course we will provide immediate and long-term support to them.

The tweet containing that statement appears to have been deleted, but I’m sure the sentiment remains.

Earlier, premier Daniel Andrews asked people to avoid the area.

Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy offered his support:

Updated

I’m going to leave you now with our reporter in Melbourne, Calla Wahlquist, who will keep you abreast of developments as they emerge.

A few more details from that brief police press conference:

  • Fourteen people have been injured, several are in critical conditions
  • Police believe this was a deliberate act, but the motivations are unknown
  • The two men have not yet been charged. They remain in police custody

Updated

Police repeated their plea for people to avoid the area. They will be on scene for an extended period.

Police will continue to have a strong presence in Melbourne’s CBD tonight. People may have items and vehicles within the crime scene. At this stage they will not able to be received until the crime scene is reopened.

Police say Flinders Street crash was 'deliberate'

Police are speaking to the media now. They have described the incident as a “deliberate act”, but they say the motivations are still unknown. They’ve said it’s too early to say.

Asked whether they can rule out a terror attack, police said:

At this stage it’s early days in the investigation and the motivation is unknown.

Updated

pic
A wrecked car is seen at the scene of an incident involving a vehicle on Flinders Street, in Melbourne. Twelve people are being treated by paramedics after a car, understood to be a white Suzuki SUV, ploughed into pedestrians in central Melbourne. Photograph: Joe Castro/AAP
pic
A white Suzuki at the scene of an incident involving a vehicle on Flinders Street, as viewed from Swanson Street, in Melbourne. Photograph: Kaitlyn Offer/EPA

Updated

Rose Stoupas owns Walker’s Doughnuts on the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.

She 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 offender’s car is still there, but pedestrians have been cleared mostly from the area. It’s a shitty, shitty day.”

Her husband John, was standing outside their store when the man drove his car into the crowd of pedestrians crossing the road.

“All you could hear was bang, bang, bang, bang,” he told the ABC, estimating the car was travelling at 80km an hour.

“This is the busiest corner in Melbourne. This and Swanston Street corner are the two busiest corners in Melbourne. It was packed. Our store was packed. Pedestrians crossing the road were completely packed. It was solid with people. We were very, very busy in the whole area. All you could hear was the sound of the car hitting people [and] the screams.”

Updated

“All you could hear was bang, bang, bang, bang,” a witness who watched the incident from Flinders Street said, estimating the car was travelling at about 80km an hour.

“This is the busiest corner in Melbourne. This and Swanston Street corner are the two busiest corners in Melbourne.

“It was packed. Our store was packed. Pedestrians crossing the road were completely packed. It was solid with people. We were very, very busy in the whole area.

All you could hear was the sound of the car hitting people [and] the screams.”

Updated

Updated

Another eyewitness, John, has just spoken to the ABC about the “horrific scene” outside Flinders Street station. He said bodies were thrown into the air as the car ploughed into them.

He was asked whether he was OK:

I’ve never seen anything like this before and I really haven’t stopped shaking. So it’s difficult for me to say whether I’m OK.

Updated

pic
A pedestrian is treated at the scene in Melbourne this afternoon. Photograph: Andrew Lund/PA Wire

Summary of key facts

We’re expecting to hear from the police shortly. But before we do, just a quick update on what we know so far:

  • A car, thought to be a white Suzuki SUV, crashed into pedestrians in one of the busiest areas of Melbourne’s CBD, outside Flinders Street station, just after 4.30pm
  • 13 people have been transported to hospital. One was a preschool-aged child with a serious head injury. The injured have been taken to hospitals across the city
  • Two people have been arrested. One was the driver. Police have saturated the area and blocked off key parts of the CBD
  • Witnesses have described a horrifying scene. Bodies were flying up into the air. The car is said to have made no attempt to stop. Bystanders rushed to help the injured
  • Police are urging people to stay away from the scene
pic
In this photo taken from ABC footage, a white SUV vehicle is stopped after allegedly striking pedestrians. Photograph: AP

Updated

pic
A police officer at the scene of the incident at Flinders Street train station in Melbourne. Photograph: Melanie Burton/Reuters
pic
Police officers secure the area as members of the public stand behind police tape after the arrest of the driver of a vehicle that ploughed into pedestrians at a crowded intersection near the Flinders Street train station in central Melbourne. Photograph: Sonali Paul/Reuters

Updated

Second man arrested: police

Police have just released another statement. They say a second man has been arrested. Here’s their statement in full:

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.

A number of people were treated at the scene for a range of injuries and have been transported to hospital.

A crime scene has been established and all vehicular and pedestrian traffic are advised to avoid the area.

If members of the public have video footage or images, which may assist police with their investigation, they are encouraged to upload them here: http://australiauploadserviceweb.cloudapp.net

Witnesses are requested to attend at the Melbourne West Police Station, 313 Spencer Street, Melbourne or to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Updated

Here’s the aerial shot of a white SUV, which appears to have crashed into a tram stop on Flinders street.

The incident has left large numbers of people stranded. Police have closed off many areas around Flinders and Elizabeth streets. Police are urging people to stay away from the area.

Another witness, Vince, has spoken to AAP. He was working in a shop at Flinders Street station and rushed to the scene before emergency services arrived.

There was no screaming, just people lying there.

Bystanders also rushed to help the injured pedestrians, he said.

They were just holding them and comforting them.

Updated

Witnesses are continuing to speak about the distressing scenes in Melbourne this afternoon.

We’re yet to hear from police.

One witness, John, said:

It was such a horrific scene, bodies being flown into the air.

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.

Updated

pic
Members of the public stand behind police tape after Australian police said on Thursday they have arrested the driver of a vehicle that crashed into pedestrians at a crowded intersection near the Flinders Street train station in central Melbourne. Photograph: Melanie Burton/Reuters

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.

Witnesses who have been affected by the incident can also access support services at West Melbourne police station.

Victoria Police have asked anybody with vision of the incident or its aftermath to upload that footage to a cloud.

Ambulance Victoria has confirmed 13 people have now been taken to city hospitals. A further two are still being treated at the scene.


The white SUV being driven by the man remains on the scene. The car crashed into the tram stop on Flinders Street and the front is extensively damaged.
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 are being asked to defer travel around the CBD, “if that is not possible, stay as far north as possible”.

Updated

pic
Emergency cars are seen on the street following the incident outside Flinders St station in Melbourne in this picture obtained from social media. Photograph: Malcolm Sheridan/Reuters

Updated

Images are starting to trickle in from Flinders street. Keep in mind, this is one of the busiest areas in the city, at the busiest time of the year.

pic
Members of the public stand behind police tape after Australian police said on Thursday they have arrested the driver of a vehicle that ploughed into pedestrians at a crowded intersection near the Flinders Street train station in central Melbourne. Photograph: STAFF/Reuters
pic
Twelve people are being treated by paramedics after a car ploughed into pedestrians in central Melbourne. Photograph: Kaitlyn Offer/AAP
pic
Police and emergency services attend the scene of an incident involving a vehicle on Flinders Street, as seen from Swanson Street, in Melbourne. Photograph: Kaitlyn Offer/AAP

Updated

Ambulance Victoria has just provided another update. Paramedics have now transported 13 people to hospitals across the city. Another two people are being assessed at the scene.

We mentioned earlier that one of those victims was a preschool-aged child with a serious head injury.

Updated

Witnesses have spoken about witnessing the horror of the crash. One witness, named Sue, told Melbourne radio station 3AW:

As it [the car] approached this intersection ... it just mowed everybody down, people were flying everywhere.

Sue said she worked at Walker’s Doughnuts on Elizabeth Street.

Aerial footage of the scene shows a white Suzuki SUV crashed into a tram stop.

Another witness, Jim, has just told the ABC the car made no effort to stop or slow down.

The only thing that slowed him down was him hitting pedestrians.

Updated

The scene at Flinders street is chaotic. A large number of emergency services are on site, assisting the injured and transporting some to hospital. Police are continuing to block off access to the area.

Updated

We’re expecting police to address the media shortly.

The ABC is now reporting that seven people have been taken to hospital, citing Ambulance Victoria.

Ambulance Victoria say some of the injuries are serious. Twelve people in total were thought to have been injured.

Dozen injured after car crashes into pedestrians in Melbourne

At least 12 people have been injured after a SUV crashed into pedestrians in Melbourne’s CBD, outside Flinders Street Station.

Stick with us, and we’ll keep you updated as new information comes to hand.

What we know so far

Information is still sparse, but this is what we know at the moment:

  • a white SUV hit at least 12 pedestrians just before 5pm, near Flinders and Elizabeth streets in Melbourne’s centre. It occurred near one of the main entrances into Flinders Street station.
  • one of those injured was a preschool-age child. The child has been taken to the Royal Children’s hospital with a head injury and is in a serious condition.
  • at least two people have been taken to hospital. There is no information about the second person’s condition.
  • the driver has been arrested
  • multiple reports say the vehicle made no attempt to stop.
  • police have blocked access to Flinders Street from Queens Street to Swanston Street.

Updated

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