Barcelona Victims Came From 24 Countries

Van driver 'pinned as many people as he could'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 18, 2017 1:19 AM CDT
Barcelona Victims Came From 24 Countries
A man touches a newspaper displaying a photograph of the aftermath of the terror attack in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, Spain.   (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Thursday's horrific terrorist attack in Barcelona's Las Ramblas tourist district was in some ways an attack on the world: Authorities say citizens of no fewer than 24 countries were among the victims of the attack, which killed 13 people and injured more than 100. One of the dead has been identified as a Belgian woman, the Independent reports. Greece's foreign ministry says a Greek woman was injured in the attack, and there are also believed to be victims from Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy and Taiwan. France says 26 of its citizens were injured. The attacker, who drove a van into people on a busy pedestrian walkway, fled on foot and is believed to still be on the loose.

Witnesses described seeing chilling scenes as the van barreled down the walkway, leaving a trail of bodies behind it. "At first I thought it was an accident, as the van crashed into 10 people or so and seemed to get stuck. But then he maneuvered left and accelerated full speed down the Ramblas and I realized it was a terrorist attack," Barcelona resident Jordi Laparra tells the AP. "He zigzagged from side to side into the kiosks, pinning as many people as he could, so they had no escape." Police killed five suspects after several people were injured in what was believed to be a related attack in Cambrils, a seaside town south of Barcelona, around eight hours later. (More Barcelona attack stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X