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Three-month-old boy becomes fifth victim of Melbourne car attack

A three-month-old boy has become the fifth victim of a car attack in Melbourne, where a driver pl...
Newstalk
Newstalk

12.06 22 Jan 2017


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Three-month-old boy becomes fi...

Three-month-old boy becomes fifth victim of Melbourne car attack

Newstalk
Newstalk

12.06 22 Jan 2017


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A three-month-old boy has become the fifth victim of a car attack in Melbourne, where a driver ploughed into pedestrians on a street.

Police in the state of Victoria, Australia, have confirmed the baby died of his injuries in hospital following the tragedy on Friday.

A 10-year-old girl, a 25-year-old man and a woman aged 32 died at the scene, while a 33-year-old man died in hospital on Friday night.

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Another 37 people are still being treated in hospital, say police. Four of them remain in a critical condition.

Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull laid a wreath at the crash site in Bourke Street and paid tribute to the emergency services and bystanders who helped the injured.

"It says so much about the spirit of the city, it is the spirit of Australia," he said. "We are with you in solidarity, we are grieving with you.

"We are mourning those whose lives have been lost. We are praying for the recovery of those who are injured."

Police said the car was deliberately driven into city centre crowds just before 2pm on Friday, local time.

Footage from a witness showed a maroon car driving in circles at an intersection, with the driver hanging his arm out of the window.

The man then drove up a pedestrian section of Bourke Street mall, deliberately hitting people, police said.

Officers said the incident is not believed to have been terror-related.

They say they were in pursuit of the car when it "deliberately struck a number of pedestrians".

The alleged driver, Dimitrious "Jimmy" Gargasoulas, aged 26, is in hospital under armed guard after being shot by police at the scene.

His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The Victoria government has set up a fund to help the families of the victims, donating an initial $100,000 (€70,000), and a vigil is to be held on Monday.


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