December 2017 Melbourne car attack
This article may be excessively based on contemporary reporting. (March 2024) |
December 2017 Melbourne car attack | |
---|---|
Weapons | Suzuki Vitara |
Deaths | 1 |
Injured | 18 (including the perpetrator) |
Perpetrator | Saeed Noori[3] |
On 21 December 2017, at 4:41 pm
Incident
According to witnesses and police, the driver, Saeed Noori, deliberately ran a red light then accelerated into an area with a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph), where he ran into the pedestrians.
A second man, filming the incident, was also arrested and found to be carrying a bag containing three knives and a quantity of marijuana. It was subsequently determined that he was not directly involved in the incident.[11]
On 21 December, Victoria Police Commander Russell Barrett stated: "At this stage we believe it is a deliberate act."[12] As a result of the incident, nineteen people were taken to a hospital. By 23 December 2017[update], three were in critical condition.[13]
One victim, Antonios Crocaris, aged 83, died in hospital on 29 December 2017.[14][15]
Perpetrator
Noori, aged 32, was known to police for a 2010 assault and had a history of drug use and mental health issues.[16] In June 2017, he was convicted and fined $1000 for driving without a license, using a mobile phone while driving and failing to answer bail.[17] Noori was unlicensed at the time of the December incident, and he was driving a vehicle that belonged to a relative.[18]
Noori appeared in court on 23 December, charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one count of reckless conduct endangering life; one of the attempted murder charges was upgraded to murder following Crocaris' death on 29 December. He was remanded in custody and ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment.[19] After his arrest, he exhibited drug addiction withdrawal symptoms and was suspected to have other illnesses, including a psychiatric one. He was on medication for mental health issues.[20]
Noori is an
On 7 December 2018, Noori pleaded guilty to one count of murder, and 18 counts of attempted murder.[27] Noori was sentenced in March 2019, to serve life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 30 years.[28]
Reactions
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that Melbourne has "special challenges", including wide streets, wide footpaths and tramways, which enable a driver to make such an attack. It would be impossible to install bollards in every part of the city.[29]
Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews praised the off-duty police officer who responded first, saying he "instinctively came to the aid of others, in the protection of public order, and potentially, avoiding so much other carnage".[30]
See also
- Vehicle-ramming attack
- Timeline of major crimes in Australia
- List of massacres in Australia
- January 2017 Melbourne car attack
References
- ^ "Melbourne officials investigating motive in latest vehicle attack". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ "Kiwi injured in Melbourne vehicle attack released from hospital". The New Zealand Herald. 22 December 2017.
- The Age Victoria. 21 December 2017.
- ^ ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ a b "Flinders Street driver had history of drug use, mental illness". ABC News. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Several critically hurt as SUV rams pedestrians in Australia". CBS News. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Nine foreigners among Melbourne car attack injured". Agence France-Presse. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- SBS News. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Melbourne crash: Driver arrested after hitting pedestrians". BBC News. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ Cowie, Tom (22 December 2017). "Melbourne CBD attack: Who was the man in the red shirt?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ ABC News [@abcnews] (21 December 2017). "At this stage we believe it is a deliberate act" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 December 2017 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Accused Flinders St driver charged with 18 counts of attempted murder". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 December 2017.
- ^ "Northcote man Antonios Crocaris, 83, dies in hospital from injuries suffered in Flinders Street". The Age. 30 December 2017.
- ^ "Greek community mourns the first fatality of the Flinders Street attack". Neos Kosmos. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ "Melbourne incident driver tells police of 'mistreatment of Muslims' as investigation continues". sbs.com.au.
- ^ Esveld, Olivia. "Flinders Street Driver Had Previously Been Convicted Of Driving Offences". kiis1011.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ Bucci, Nino; Mills, Tammy; Cowie, Tom (22 December 2017). "Melbourne CBD attack: Flinders Street driver Saeed Noori convicted of unlicensed driving". The Age.
- ^ Mills, Tammy; Bucci, Nino (23 December 2017). "Accused Flinders Street driver Saeed Noori remanded after appearing in court". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Flinders Street crash: Saeed Noori may be unfit for trial, lawyers say". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 27 December 2017.
- ^ Westcott, Ben; Morris-Marr, Lucie (December 2017). "Melbourne car attack: Driver had mental health issues, no terror connection". CNN.
- ^ "Flinders St accused Saeed Noori 'withdrawing from drug addiction'". The West Australian. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ "Melbourne car attack: Flinders St driver spoke of Muslims' 'mistreatment' but had no terror links, police say". ABC. 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Flinders St rampage: Accused rampage driver's Allah, ASIO rants". Herald Sun. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Emotional mother of Flinders Street accused lashes out". MSN. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- ^ "Flinders Street driver was on mental health plan, had no known terror links: Melbourne police". ABC News. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- ^ Saeed Noori pleads guilty to murder of one, injuring dozens, in Flinders Street car attack (news.com.au)
- ^ Percy, Karen (28 March 2019). "Flinders St driver Saeed Noori jailed for life over Melbourne car attack". ABC News. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Staff Reporters (22 December 2017). "Melbourne CBD attack: City has 'special challenges' when it comes to stopping such incidents, says Prime Minister". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Hero off-duty cop who tackled Flinders St driver receiving treatment in hospital". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 December 2017.