An attack in Nice, France on Thursday has left at least 84 people dead and dozens of others injured, according to local officials, after a truck drove high-speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
Reuters has reported that police shot and killed the driver, who was driving at high speed for over 100 meters along the Promenade des Anglais seafront before hitting people in the crowd. Guns and grenades were later found inside the truck.
The Nice prosecutor’s office estimated that 73 people died in the attack. The mayor of Nice similarly estimated that over 70 had died and called this the worst tragedy in the city’s history.
Il s'agit du pire drame de l'histoire de Nice car plus de 70 victimes sont déjà à déplorer.
— Philippe Pradal (@p_pradal) July 14, 2016
Christophe Napoli, a Nicoise that was present on the boardwalk at the time of the attack, told French newspaper Le Dauphine that there were “a lot of families and numerous children” present before the attack, that the spirit was celebratory and joyful. Then, he suddenly saw people running towards him and said there was a “complete panic.”
French President Francois Hollande told French national radio that he is returning to Paris from Avignon for emergency talks at the Interior Ministry after the attack.
President Barack Obama issued a statement condemning “what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack” and pledging to “stand in solidarity with France, our oldest ally.”
Paris witnessed attacks by ISIS in November 2015, and has been a state of emergency since then. After the attack Hollande announced the state of emergency would be extended, despite announcing earlier in the day that it would not be extended beyond July 26.
People are using the hashtag #PortesOuvertesNice on social media to find victims and offer shelter.
Natasha Geiling contributed to this report. This is a breaking news story and will this piece be updated as more information becomes available.