Car Ploughs Into Dozens Of People In Melbourne City Centre

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Australian police have arrested a suspect after a car drove into crowds in Melbourne city centre. 

The car ‘collided with a number of pedestrians’ on Flinders Street, a busy junction in the centre of the city, said Victoria Police.

Police said they didn’t yet know the extent of injuries and added there isn’t any indication the incident is terror-related at this early stage in the investigation.

The exact situation remains unclear, but pictures from the scene show a number of people lying on the ground close to a large white vehicle.

Local media reports from the Herald Sun suggest at least 12 people may have been hurt – paramedics are assessing 12 people at the scene of the incident.

Victoria Ambulance said, in a statement, a child of pre-school age has been taken to hospital with serious head injuries.

One witness told local radio station 3AW the car had:

Just mowed everybody down, people were flying everywhere.

Commuters were making their way to and from the city’s main train station around 4.40pm when the white SUV collided with pedestrians.

In January, six people died when a man drove a car into pedestrians on Bourke Street.

Afterwards, city authorities installed concrete blocks in various locations – including on Flinders Street – hoping to prevent vehicle-based attacks.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to attend the Melbourne West Police Station at 313 Spencer Street, Melbourne or contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Francesca Donovan

A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.