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2015/12/21 17:05:42
Subject: Woman deliberately drives over pedestrians on Las Vegas sidewalks
So a woman is said to have taken her car onto the sidewalk in a deliberate attempt to kill people. She left the road for the sidewalk at least three separate times according to witnesses. The toll currently stands at one death, 37 people injured, six critically.
Terrorism was quickly ruled out but no reason was given for the driver's actions.
Car plows into pedestrians near Planet Hollywood, killing one, injuring 37 — VIDEO
A car plowed into pedestrians on the sidewalk Sunday night on the Las Vegas Strip, killing one person and injuring 37 people, six critically.
The six critically injured were in stable condition by late Sunday night, Las Vegas police said.
The female driver of the 1996 Oldsmobile four-door sedan, only described as being in her 20s, was arrested near the Tuscany hotel on Flamingo Road shortly after the crash, which happened in front of the Paris Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood hotels. She is being interviewed and tested for impairment, Metro Capt. Peter Boffelli told media gathered on Las Vegas Boulevard at about 8:45 p.m.
"This is a huge tragedy that has occurred on our Strip," he said.
At this point it hasn't been determined whether the crash was intentional or due to impairment, Boffelli said, but Metro's traffic, homicide and counterterrorism departments were called to conduct a "proper investigation."
At a later news conference, Metro Deputy Chief Brett Zimmerman said terrorism has been ruled out as a cause, but that the crash is being investigated as intentional. He said early reports of gunshots being fired at about the same time as the crash were false.
Zimmerman also said the woman hit pedestrians in at least two separate sidewalk sections, driving onto the sidewalk, then onto the road and back on the sidewalk before leaving the scene.
Bystander Justin Cochrane told the Review-Journal he witnessed an older, brown Oldsmobile plow into people, slow down and accelerate again.
He said people were chasing the car, which he described as having a busted-out windshield. Cochrane said he saw the car "crushing" people, including someone he described as a kid who looked about 10 years old.
Rabia and Atif Qureshi, who also witnessed the crash, said the vehicle plowed into pedestrians, sending them flying like "bowling pins."
Atif Qureshi, a Wisconsin physician, said he attended to some of the injured and noted at least six in very bad shape.
Gov. Brian Sandoval released a statement Sunday night saying he has spoken with Sheriff Joe Lombardo and will remain in contact with him as additional information is released.
"The state stands ready to help and will provide any assistance needed to ensure the safety of our visitors and residents," Sandoval said. "Kathleen and I extend our deepest sympathies to all who are affected by this shocking and tragic event. Additionally, I would like to thank the first responders and the medical professionals who are caring for the victims this evening."
About 70 Clark County Fire Department personnel responded to the crash at 6:38 p.m., Fire Department Capt. Greg Cassell said. By about 7 p.m., the first patient was being taken to a hospital.
Fifteen victims were sent to UMC, and three to Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center. Many of the injured taken to UMC were believed to be Canadian, from Montreal, and had requested a translator, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Two of the injured at UMC had been released as of about 10 p.m.
Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center treated 13 crash victims, 10 of whom had been discharged as of 11:15 p.m. Sunday, hospital spokeswoman Stacy Acquista said. The three remaining patients were in fair condition, she said.
It was not clear if others injured were treated at the scene or taken to a hospital for treatment.
The driver, who is not from Las Vegas, has been taken to Clark County Detention Center. Police are getting a warrant for a blood test, but she wasn't exhibiting extreme impairment, according to police Lt. Dan McGrath.
He confirmed that a 3-year-old toddler was in the car with the driver and was unharmed.
Police said the Oldsmobile is registered in Oregon. The woman told police that she arrived in Las Vegas a few days ago.
McGrath said police have interviewed about 20 people and are looking for more witnesses. Anyone with information about the crash can call 702-828-3521.
The crash occurred as the Miss Universe Pageant was wrapping up its live broadcast ceremonies and crowning of the 2015 winner, Miss Philippines. A representative of Caesars Entertainment, which owns Planet Hollywood, declined comment, referring inquires to Las Vegas police.
A similar incident occurred on Sept. 21, 2005, when a car jumped a curb and plowed into a group of pedestrians on the Strip in front of Bally's, killing three and injuring 11 in what Las Vegas police called an intentional act.
The driver, Stephen Ressa, 27 at the time of the crash, was sentenced on Oct. 2, 2007, to hundreds of years in prison. Gordon Kusayanagi, 52, of Hollister, Calif., Mark Modaressi, 26, of Irvine, Calif., and 60-year-old Richard Bradford of Renton, Wash., were killed in the crash.
Authorities said the crash occurred shortly after Ressa beat his mother unconscious and stole her car from her home in Rialto, Calif.
in the 2005 crash, the car jumped the curb, and continued north for several hundred feet. Witnesses said the vehicle plowed through the sidewalk and kept accelerating even as bodies sprawled on the hood and others flew over the car.
— Rachel Aston, Christian Bertolaccini, Kimberly De La Cruz, Eric Hartley and Wesley Juhl of the Review-Journal contributed to this report.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/21 19:02:32
Alpharius wrote: Given what happened and that there's at least one fatality, that's a rather insensitive title, don't you think?
Give me a few minutes to rework it.
Edit: Title changed to something less insensitive.
Back on topic: Details about the woman are leaking out, including that she had a small child in the car at the time, but nothing yet about motive behind her actions.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2015/12/21 19:05:36
2015/12/21 21:32:01
Subject: Woman deliberately drives over pedestrians on Las Vegas sidewalks
Thank you 9/11, now everytime something happens we have to question if it's terrorist-related or not. What happened to the old days, when people were just trying to get a high score?
Spoiler:
2015/12/22 01:41:42
Subject: Re:Woman deliberately drives over pedestrians on Las Vegas sidewalks
To me it seems like another on of those incidents that are inevitable given the vast number of people and easy access to things that can do harm in various different ways.
There are probably hundreds of millions of car movements every day in the USA, producing a relatively small number of collisions. What is the chance of someone going nuts and deciding to ram their car into people? I don't know, but it must actually be very small considering how rare this kind of incident actually is.
Such rare ocurrences may be effectively impossible to analyse, predict and defend against.
Of course this is of no comfort to all the dead and their families bereaved just before Christmas.
