Australia: Pedestrian Incident in Melbourne Not Terrorist-Related

Australian police say the individual who deliberately drove into pedestrians in Melbourne has a history of mental health issues and there was no terrorist motive involved. According to Reuters, an Afghan-Australian man with a history of mental health problems injured 19 people on Thursday by driving into them at a Christmas market in Melbourne. The agency recalls that a similar incident occurred last year just a few hundred meters from the site of Thursday's attack, resulting in four deaths, which was also not a terrorist act. Jim Stoupas, a bakery owner near the incident site, told Reuters that the vehicle was traveling at about 100 kilometers per hour and veered onto a crowded sidewalk, hitting many people. He added, "All that could be heard was the sound of bang, bang and the screams of people." He noted that the vehicle eventually stopped after hitting a barrier. Police stated that the 32-year-old driver, an Afghan-Australian citizen with a history of physical assaults, drug use, and mental health issues, is currently in custody. Shane Patton, Deputy Commissioner of Victoria Police, said, "At this point, we have no information or evidence to suggest that this incident is linked to a terrorist attack." The condition of four of the injured, including a young boy who was injured in the head, is serious. Police have also arrested a man who was filming the scene and was carrying a bag with a knife. The police commander said that this 24-year-old man was likely not involved in the pedestrian incident. Both individuals have not yet been formally charged, and their names have not been released by the police. Reuters adds that this incident occurred on Flinders Street, one of the main streets near the Yarra River in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. In Melbourne, to prevent attacks by individuals linked to ISIS and extremist groups using vehicles against pedestrians, many concrete barriers have been installed along sidewalks, similar to what has happened in European and American cities. Daniel Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, stated, "We witnessed a horrific act, an evil act, and a cowardly act against innocent pedestrians." In Sydney, Australia's largest city, concrete barriers have also been installed near pedestrian crossings. Malcolm Turnbull, the Prime Minister of Australia, tweeted: "I express my sympathy with the victims of the incident and the emergency and healthcare workers treating the victims." Australia has been on a national threat level of 'high' since 2015 due to the potential for attacks by Australians who have traveled to Iraq and Syria. In December 2014, during a 17-hour hostage situation in a café in Sydney, two people were killed by an individual influenced by the 'Islamic State' group.