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Over 19 pedestrians have been injured, including a toddler, with four clinging to life in hospital after a white SUV ‘deliberately’ ran into rush hour crowds in the heart of Melbourne.
A white Suzuki SUV with p-plates, driven by 32-year-old Afghan man who The Herald Sun have identified as Saeed Noori, crashed into a large group of commuters and shoppers at the corner of Melbourne’s busy Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street in late afternoon, Thursday.
Noori was known to police and was arrested at the scene.
The driver, who is an Australian citizen, is under police guard at hospital with shoulder and hand injuries.
Victoria Police said the driver has a history of drug use and is on a mental health plan.
A second 24-year-old man, who had a bag of three knives, was arrested but police believe he had no link to the incident.
Acting Commissioner Shane Patton said, ‘Clarity on the second offender that is in custody, it has not yet been determined whether he was involved, and it is quite probable he was not.’
The 24-year-old man was seen filming the rampage.
The crash injured 19 people, including the driver and an off duty police officer and four people are in a critical condition while a four-year-old boy was left with serious head injuries but is in a stable condition.
Victoria Police believe the incident has no link to terror-related attacks.
This article originally appeared on New Idea.
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