19 Injured After SUV Plows Into Crowd In Australia
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police in Australia have arrested a driver they say deliberately drove an SUV into a crowd of people on one of Melbourne's busiest streets, injuring 19 people.
Amateur video showed police arresting a man shortly after the incident.
Police said the driver is a 32-year-old Australian citizen of Afghan descent with a history of mental illness and drug use.
"At this time we don't have any evidence or intelligence to indicate there's a connection with terrorism," said Victoria State Police Acting Chief Comm. Shane Patton. "Having said that we continue to support this investigation with our counterterrorism command to ensure that there isn't that connection and that there is no ongoing threat."
"He is in a mental health plan and is receiving treatment for a mental illness," Patton said.
Police said a second man was taken into custody but he is not believed to be connected to the attack.
He was taking video of the attack and carrying three knives in a bag.
The area near the the city's main train station was filled with Christmas shoppers when the SUV ran a red light and slammed into pedestrians crossing the road.
Police will increase security around Melbourne in the coming days, even though they say there is no immediate threat of danger during the busy holiday season.
Last January, six people were killed in Melbourne when a man with mental health issues drove onto a sidewalk and into pedestrians, near the same site as today's incident.
