An Australian man of Afghan descent with a history of mental health issues drove a car into Christmas shoppers in the city of Melbourne on Thursday, injuring 19 people, but police said they did not believe the attack was terror-related.
In January, four people were killed and more than 20 injured when a man drove into pedestrians just a few hundred metres away from Thursday’s attack. That too was not a terror attack.
Police said they detained the 32-year-old driver, an Australian of Afghan descent with a history of assault, drug use and mental health issues. “At this time, we don’t have any evidence or intelligence to indicate a connection with terrorism,” said the acting chief commissioner of Victoria, Shane Patton.
Four of the injured were in critical condition. Police also detained a 24-year-old man at the scene who was filming the incident and had a bag with knifes. Mr. Patton said it was “quite probable” the 24-year-old was not involved. The men had not been charged and their names have not been released by police.
The attack took place on Flinders Street, a major road that runs alongside the Yarra River, in the central business district of Australia’s second-biggest city.
Melbourne has installed about 140 concrete bollards in the city centre to stop vehicle attacks by militants similar to recent attacks in Europe and the U.S.
“Our thoughts & prayers are with the victims & the emergency & health workers who are treating them,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a post on his official Twitter account.
