Luca Bruno / AP
On Thursday night in Nice, France, a lorry sped down the seaside promenade where people had gathered to celebrate Bastille Day. So far, 84 people are confirmed to have died, with many more injured, around 18 of whom are in critical condition. This is everything we know so far.
The lorry was driven for almost 2km down the promenade, mowing down people in its path. Eyewitnesses reported that the driver seemed to swerve from left to right in order to kill as many as people as possible. The driver was stopped by the police, who shot him dead, although it is yet to be confirmed that this is what stopped the attack. Photos of the lorry show the windscreen covered in bullet holes.
Videos by VICE
The New York Times reported that “the main strip through Nice was littered with bodies, one after the other.”
President François Hollande has called the incident’s “terrorist character” undeniable. “The horror has, once again, hit France,” he said on Thursday evening.
So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Reports from the local newspaper Nice-Matin said the driver is of French-Tunisian origin, although this has not been confirmed. Le Monde has reported he was born in 1985. French officials have reported the lorry was loaded with weapons and grenades. Local media are now reporting that the driver of the lorry was a local man called Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel and a search was conducted at his home in Nice.
People who follow Isis communication channels saw members celebrating. One channel, called the United Cyber Caliphate, contained a message that simply said “France” and then a smiley face, according to the New York Times.
Thousands of people ran from the promenade through the centre of Nice and the side streets. One eyewitness says that police simply told people to “run“.
Hospitals in the region have received dozens of wounded people with some still in critical condition.
News organisations in the UK have largely avoided showing the most shocking footage of the attack, but videos are being circulated on social media, against the wishes of French police. Francetélévisions, the national broadcaster in France, apologised this morning for showing graphic images of the attack.
The number of people killed in terrorist attacks in France since 2015 now stands at 231.
We will continue to update this story as we get more information.
