Police rule out terror links in deadly Melbourne crash

| September 9, 2023

Victorian police are grateful for a quick arrest that might have prevented further harm to people after a motorist died and five others were injured in a Melbourne CBD car ramming.

One person was killed and five others injured after a car ploughed into pedestrians and two other vehicles along busy Bourke Street in the CBD on Friday night.

The offending driver is in police custody after his white Toyota sedan struck several people at a tram stop before hitting two other vehicles near Russell and Bourke streets about 6.20pm, police said.

Superintendent Zorka Dunstan said the driver, a 26-year-old man from Melton West, was arrested at the scene and taken into police custody.

“Obviously any incident of this magnitude is concerning for Victoria Police but at this stage, there are no terrorist links,” she said at the scene on Friday night.

She said the man was known to police through “mental health interactions” and was undergoing a mental health assessment.

“I can assure the community that there is no ongoing threat,” she said.

Supt Dunstan said two officers who were nearby had quickly arrested the man who was sitting on top of his car.

“We’re just grateful that we had that quick arrest and there were no further injuries,” she said.

The streets of Melbourne were packed on Friday ahead of Carlton’s blockbuster AFL clash against Sydney at the MCG.

Police were grateful to bystanders who came to the aid of the injured.  

“In any of these situations, it’s obviously critical that we get assistance where we can,” Supt Dunstan.

“We were obviously very grateful for the people who’ve rendered assistance and we’ll also be speaking to them and offering support.”

Supt Dunstan urged witnesses and anyone with dashcam footage to contact police.

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