Flinders Street incident: What we know so far

EMERGENCY services flooded Melbourne CBD after a car mowed down pedestrians in what Victoria Police said was a “deliberate act”. Here’s what we know so far.

WHAT WE KNOW:

FRIDAY 4PM UPDATE:

- Police say they have not found any evidence driver Saeed Noori’s actions were planned, but they haven’t excluded a terror motive as investigations are ongoing

- Mr Noori has been released from hospital and is now in custody at police headquarters in Spencer St. Homicide Squad detectives are interviewing him now.

- Police say 20 people presented to hospital yesterday, of those 18 were admitted. Currently four people have been discharged, 14 people remain in hospital, three of which are critical.

Nine of the victims are overseas nationals from South Korea, China, Italy, Indian, Venezuela, Ireland and New Zealand. They include:

- 83-year-old male from Northcote in a critical condition

- 67-year-old male South Korean national in a critical condition

- 61-year-old male South Korean national in a critical condition

- 40-year-old male Venezuelan national from Elwood is serious but stable

- 47-year-old female from Richmond is stable

- 45-year-old male Indian national is stable

- 36-year-old female from Mentone is stable

- 35-year-old female from Mernda is stable

- 30-year old female from Craigieburn is stable

- 25-year-old female Irish national living in Caulfield is stable

- 24-year-old male Chinese national is stable

- 4-year-old male South Korean national living in Hoppers Crossing is stable

- 33-year-old female from Seaford has been discharged

- 17-year-old male Brunswick East has been discharged

- 43-year-old male New Zealand national living in Heathmont has been discharged

- 25-year-old male Italian national has been discharged

- 58-year-old female from Coburg attended hospital but was not admitted

- 25-year old female from Reservoir attended hospital but was not admitted

FRIDAY 1PM UPDATE:

- The driver, Saeed Noori, migrated to Australia on a refugee program

- Police raided homes in West Heidelberg and Oak Park overnight. The man’s family members helped police and none were taken into custody

- Melbourne’s acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood said he was “sickened” by the incident

- Three people, including a man in his 80s, remain in a critical condition

- Police Association of Victoria Secretary Wayne Gatt praised the actions of police and emergency services at the scene

- Sixteen of the police officers who responded to the incident were on their first day on the job

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FRIDAY 11AM UPDATE:

- Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed 19 people were taken to hospital.

- Four people were initially on the critical list, but now there are three.

- Nine of the victims were foreign nationals

- Turnbull said: “This attack while horrific shows the courage and resilience of the people of Melbourne once again.”

FRIDAY 9AM UPDATE:

- Premier Daniel Andrews says man in police custody not known to counter terrorism police and only known to Victoria Police for mental health issues

- Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton says no intelligence to suggest an attack was coming

- Investigators had not identified anything in man’s past to indicate involvement in terrorist activity

- Driver will be formally interviewed later today

- Mr Patton tells 3AW: “He has made utterances, speaking of voices and dreams, attributing his actions to the treatment of Muslims around the world”.

- Mr Patton says Melburnians will see increased numbers of police over coming days

- Mr Patton says victims from various countries including South Korea, China, Venezuela, Ireland, New Zealand

FRIDAY 8.30AM UPDATE:

Police Minister Lisa Neville tells 3AW:

- Critical Response Team police arrived within 15 seconds.

- Ambulances arrived within five minutes

- Ms Neville said the off duty police officer was having surgery today: “We had an off-duty officer who pulled the person out of the car. He is having some surgery today on the injury he sustained.”

- Ms Neville defended not using warning sirens in CBD: “Because the event was over so quickly ... and they (police) cordoned off the area, it was not necessary to use them.”

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton tells Sky News:

- Police had briefly spoken to the driver while in hospital.

- “He spoke about dreams, he spoke about voices but he also did attribute some of his actions to the poor treatment of Muslims,” he told Channel 9.

FRIDAY 8AM UPDATE:

- A four-year-old boy’s condition has improved to stable at the Royal Children’s Hospital overnight.

- An 83-year-old man remains in a critical condition.

- Police are standing guard at the Flinders and Elizabeth St intersection this morning.

- The number of critical patients has increased from four to five this morning, police minister Lisa Neville told 3AW.

- Flinders St and Elizabeth St reopened at 2am this morning.

- Trains and trams are running as normal.

FRIDAY 7AM UPDATE:

- Police are standing guard at the Flinders and Elizabeth St intersection after a horror afternoon in Melbourne’s CBD.

- Police vans and Public Order Response vehicles remain parked along the intersection despite the busy thoroughfare reopening in the early hours of this morning.

- Officers are keeping vigil on each corner of the intersection as pedestrians go about their daily commute.

FRIDAY 6AM UPDATE:

- A four-year-old boy was in a stable condition at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

- All roads in Melbourne’s CBD were reopened at 2am.

- Trains and trams are operating as per usual.

- A second man has been released on unrelated charges.

- The 24-year-old man arrested on Flinders St was released on summons with possessing cannabis and a controlled weapon. These offences are not linked to the Flinders St incident.

THURSDAY 11.20PM UPDATE:

• A white SUV collided with pedestrians on Flinders St just after 4.30pm
• Police say 19 people were injured during the incident, 15 of them are stable and four are in a critical condition
• Police have emphasised there is no evidence to connect the incident with terrorism
• Victoria Police have arrested the sole occupant of the car, 32-year-old Saeed Noori, who is of Afghan descent and has a history of drug use and mental illness
• A second man who was filming the incident was arrested. He had three knives in his bag
• Police have not established a relationship between the two men who were arrested
• Nine patients been taken to The Alfred hospital
• Three have been taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital
• A child with a head injury has been taken to Royal Children’s Hospital and is in a stable condition
• More patients are at St Vincent’s
• Among the injured are a four-year-old boy and men aged 25, 40, 43, 45 and 83. Also, two women aged 25, along with women aged 30, 35, 47 and 58. There are also three men and two women whose ages are unknown, plus the off-duty police officer.
• Two men are in custody and are being questioned by police
• Buildings fronting on to Flinders St were evacuated
• All pedestrians and vehicles are advised to avoid the area
• Premier Daniel Andrews says there is no intel to suggest we need to change our current threat level or threat assessment

Anyone seeking advice or information should call 1800 819 817

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— Members of the public who have video or images which might assist police with their investigation should upload them to http://australiauploadserviceweb.cloudapp.net