Live Updates
- 04:02 GMT A second vehicle attack to the one in Barcelona took place in the coastal town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona. A car hit pedestrians near the port area. Some pedestrians and a police officer were injured. The attackers exited the car and were shot by police as they attempted to leave the scene. Five suspects have been killed in a shootout in Cambrils. The terrorists were reported to have explosives strapped around their waists.
- 03:14 GMT A second attack was stopped by Spanish police in the town of Cambrils near Barcelona. Four terrorist were killed and were wearing suicide vests. It is believed they were attempting a second van attack.
- 21:02 GMT One of the attackers is Driss Oukabir. A 27 yr old Spanish national. His passport was found in the vehicle and it was registered to him. 2 people are believed to be arrested and 2 others missing still.
- 20:45 GMT ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
- 20:16 GMT According to "El Periódico", one of the attackers was arrested, but another is still missing.
2017-07-18
2017-07-17
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Plaça de Catalunya located at the entrance of Las Ramblas where the perimeter around the attack area is being expanded and bystanders pushed further back as police search the area for the attackers. Photo by: Evan McCaffrey [/caption]
At 5:00 p.m. today, in the crowded tourist area of Barcelona’s Las Ramblas, a van plowed into a crowd walking on the sidewalk. The incident is now being called by authorities an act of terror.
The white van traveled 600 meters across the sidewalk at a high-speed plowing over pedestrians. The van is believed is to have entered the sidewalk at the entrance of the Plaza Catalunya Metro station. The van finally came to a stop when it ran into a shop.
The driver of the vehicle exited and fled the scene. A search is now underway for the attacker.
Videos taken shortly after the scene can confirm that multiple people were killed and injured including young children. The official death toll is now 13.
Moment after a van drives into crowd in Barcelona caught on video. (Graphic content warning)
Currently, in Barcelona, the city is very quiet. The scene around the area of the attack has been expanded and no one is being allowed to enter as armed police scour the area for the attacker. Many of the metros and public transport are closed for fear of another attack. This has left many people stranded across the city.
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Plaça de Catalunya located at the entrance of Las Ramblas where the perimeter around the attack area is being expanded and bystanders pushed further back as police search the area for the attackers. Photo by: Evan McCaffrey [/caption]
There are many tourist hotels near the attack area and many people are waiting at the police barricades to re-enter the area.
[caption id="attachment_1929" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Plaça de Catalunya located at the entrance of Las Ramblas where the perimeter around the attack area is being expanded and bystanders pushed further back as police search the area for the attackers. Photo by: Evan McCaffrey [/caption]
Gordon Ziv, a tourist from Chicago, United States who witnessed the chaos after the attack said, “I saw a group of people running out of alleyways towards the modern art museum. The people running said there had been a second attack following the first van incident. There may have only been one attack and that may have been from the panic of the first”