A man deliberately drove into a pedestrian-filled street in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday, killing at least four people and injuring 20 others, police said. Officials told The Associated Press that the incident was not terrorist-related.
Early Friday afternoon, a man was seen driving in erratic circles in the middle of a major intersection in downtown Melbourne, officials said. The driver then turned onto a pedestrian-only road, hitting pedestrians on the Bourke Street Mall before proceeding onto a sidewalk and striking several other people, Victoria Police Acting Commander Stuart Bateson told the AP.
Video footage from a witness showed the maroon-colored car as the driver drove erratically outside the Flinders Street railway section, Reuters reported.
Two people approached the car, apparently trying to stop it.
"He was half hanging outside the car ... he was just so reckless ... he just didn't care," witness Laura Pollson told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
A shop video showed several people diving into a convenience store as the car sped along the pedestrian walkway, Reuters reported.
Police eventually rammed the car and shot the 26-year-old driver in the arm, before dragging him from the vehicle and arresting him, Reuters reported. Police said the man had a history of family violence and was wanted over a stabbing earlier in the day. Police said they did not believe the incident was terror-related.
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