Car ploughs into crowd at shopping mall in Sydney, Australia, baby among injured
A CAR has crashed into a crowd at a shopping mall in Sydney, Australia, injuring at least seven people.
A baby is among the wounded in Westfield Chatswood Mall in the city, with six people being rushed to hospital.
Bystanders fled fearing a Barcelona-style attack could be taking place, as the car mounted the pavement and careered into crowds.
Witnesses said it skimmed past a shop and into crowds including what looked to be grandparents and a baby in a pram at the busy intersection.
One woman, reportedly aged 22, was airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in a serious but stable condition. CareFlight operators said she had head and abdominal injuries.
The crash, which took place at 3.45pm local time (6.45am UK time), had echoes of the Barcelona terror attack on Thursday, which saw a gang of jihadis plough through crowds at Las Ramblas, killing 14 and injuring more than 100 others from around the world.
Witness Evita Barboza, told ABC: "My son saw the whole thing, lucky he didn't get hit.
"I heard the helicopter and all these things and I didn't know what was happening.
"It's really scary, I'm Spanish and because of what happened in Barcelona yesterday and all the things that are going on in the world."
Chatswood is a major commercial and residential centre in the lower North Shore district of Sydney.
Witness Neville Yates ran to the scene to help.
He told the Sydney Morning Herald: "The driver looked like he was slumped over the wheel.
"One of the women looked very dazed."
Witnesses said the car appeared to be travelling slowly.
Police have said the 50-year-old male driver may have suffered a "medical episode". He reportedly stayed at the scene and was assisting police officers.The crash caused panic on the streets of Sydney but police are currently describing the incident as an "accident", with the driver possibly suffering a medical episode.
http://www.express.co.uk/(...)ralia-Chatswood-Mall