Road rampage kills woman, injures 11 pedestrians in Welsh capital

USPA News - A woman was killed Friday and more than a dozen others were injured when a man deliberately drove his van into groups of pedestrians in the Welsh capital of Cardiff, police said on Saturday. A suspect has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The hit-and-run incidents happened between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time on Friday when the van drove into groups of pedestrians at Crossways, Cowbridge Road West, Grand Avenue, Sloper Road, and Asda. The five incident scenes are located in the Ely and Leckwith areas of the city. A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder just after 4 p.m. when officers stopped the white Iveco transit van near Merrie Harrier in the town of Penarth, located about 5.2 miles (8.4 kilometers) southwest from the city center of Cardiff. His motive for the attacks was not immediately known. "Unfortunately, and tragically, outside the fire station on Cowbridge Road West, as a result of the incident that has occurred, a 32-year-old female has lost her life," Superintendent Julian Williams of South Wales Police said during a news conference. "Our thoughts are obviously with her family and our family liaison officers are with the family at the moment." Thirteen other pedestrians were injured by the hit-and-run incidents, including nine people who were still receiving treatment Saturday at the University Hospital of Wales. Two of the adults remain in a critical but stable condition while five children may be released over the weekend. Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley said police were also investigating reports that the driver assaulted several people outside his vehicle during the rampage. "A number of the victims have been struck by the vehicle [but] there is witness evidence to suggest that the person we have in custody has physically assaulted people outside of the vehicle," he said, adding that a weapon may have been involved.