who plowed into a crowd on a busy Melbourne street on Thursday, injuring 19 people, was mentally ill, Australian officials said, describing the attack as a deliberate “act of evil” but not terrorism. Shane Patton, Victoria’s acting police commissioner, described the driver as a 32-year-old Australian citizen of Afghan descent. He was known to the authorities and had a history of criminal assault and drug abuse, according to Mr. Patton, who said the man was being treated for a mental illness. Advertisement Continue reading the main story“At this time we do not have any evidence or any intelligence to indicate there is a connection with terrorism,” Mr. Patton said. The police took him to the hospital after detaining him but had yet to interview him.

Source: New York Times December 21, 2017 06:58 UTC