Truck Attack on France's National Celebration Leaves 84 Dead

On Thursday, July 14, a truck driver attacked a crowd in Nice, France, who had gathered to watch the fireworks for "Bastille Day," the national holiday of France, running people over. According to the French Ministry of the Interior, the death toll from this incident has risen to 84. It was reported that the condition of 18 of the injured is critical. Meanwhile, local newspapers have reported that the license found in the truck belongs to a 31-year-old Frenchman of Tunisian descent, and police are investigating whether the license belongs to the driver. Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, previously stated that the truck was filled with explosives, grenades, and weapons. According to CNN, this local official said that the driver of the white truck initially fired at pedestrians on the sidewalk and then drove two kilometers, running over the crowd and killing several people. News outlets report that the driver failed to detonate the vehicle. NBC News reported that police have asked people to stay indoors. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Meanwhile, French media say that the investigation into this attack has been handed over to anti-terrorism officials. Reports indicate that François Hollande, the President of France, has cut short his trip to the south of the country and returned to Paris to participate in a crisis meeting at the Ministry of the Interior. François Hollande stated in a television program early Friday that what happened in Nice was a terrorist attack and cannot be denied. He emphasized that they must show that they are fully alert and determined without any weakness. He also mentioned that France would intensify its military operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Eyewitnesses say that the truck attacked the crowd while people were watching the fireworks for Bastille Day. Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, tweeted shortly after the attack that it appeared dozens had been killed in the incident. According to CNN, eyewitnesses reported hearing gunfire. The report indicates that there were bullet marks on the windshield of the truck, but it is unclear whether the driver was armed. The French Ministry of the Interior has confirmed that the driver of the truck was shot dead by police. Eyewitnesses stated that the truck accelerated as it approached the crowd, running over people for over 150 meters until the police killed the driver. French officials have referred to this incident as an "attack," but have not yet declared it a terrorist incident.