At Least 73 Feared Dead In France After Truck Crashes Into Bastille Day Celebration

At least 73 people died and 100 more were injured Thursday night after a truck crashed into a crowd of people at a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France. The attacker reportedly drove through the crowd at high speeds for over 100 yards, running over dozens of people, before stopping.

Some news organizations are reporting that witnesses saw the driver exit the vehicle after the crash and start shooting, leaving many more bystanders dead.

According to the Telegraph, another witness said that “the wounded had been rushed from the scene, but that the dead remained all along the street.”

Video below shows the chaos that broke out as people tried to run to safety:

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A graphic video has also been circulating showing the attack unfolding.

One witness, according to the Telegraph, said, “We ran down a road, everyone was ducking down and going into doorways. We ran into an alleyway and crouched down for about an hour. The whole time it was terrifying but didn’t quite feel real.”

The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, called the attack “the worst tragedy in the history of Nice.” He also confirmed that the truck being driven into the crowd was loaded with weapons and grenades.

The city remains in lockdown.

Just moments ago, images of a fire near the Eiffel Tower began to circulate on social media. Police say the incident is not connected to the attack in Nice and is fireworks-related.

Video:

On this side of the Atlantic, the tragedy in France is already impacting the political world, with presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump postponing his much-anticipated event tomorrow where he was set to announce his running mate.

Tweet:

In an earlier tweet, before much information about the tragedy was even known, the Republican candidate called the attack “horrific” and asked, “When will we learn?”

Presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton is likely waiting for more information before she speculates about or comments on what is still a developing and tragic situation in France.

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.