A witness captured this image of the car exploding on Bourke Street, Melbourne. (Photo: Supplied)

‘Fire and a bang’: Horror in Bourke Street

An apparent act of terrorism hit the Melbourne CBD again on Friday.
Hatch reporters Lachlan Guertin, Sophie Chappell and Luke Hancock report from the scene.


A terrorism suspect and one of his victims is dead and two other victims injured with stab wounds after the Melbourne CBD was shut down in what police said was a terrorist attack in Bourke Street on Friday afternoon.

Police confront the alleged suspect in the Bourke Street attack. (Photo: Supplied)

A ute exploded in flames on the pedestrian mall about 4.20pm, police said. Witness accounts and video show a man fighting police officers with a knife before being shot. At an 8.30pm press conference, police said they were treating the incident as “a terrorism event”.

Hatch reporter Lachlan Guertin was on the scene minutes after the incident.

Police in Melbourne pursue an alleged suspect during Friday’s deadly attack. (Photo: Supplied)

Sophie Chappell reports: “There were people everywhere. There was a lot of confusion and everyone was asking everyone what happened. The helicopters were crazy … the police had Swanston Street blocked off but people were still walking and riding along the road. They soon taped the area off and not long after an ambulance vehicle left the scene.”

Police cordon off Melbourne CBD streets after the deadly incident in the city. (Photo: Sophie Chappell)

A witness said “there was a fire and a bang” and it was unclear whether the bang was from a gunshot or if the car had exploded.

Hatch’s Luke Hancock reports: “There was a lot of confusion, people naturally wanting to ask what happened and rumours were flying around in the crowd … There were several instances of bystanders getting in the way carelessly crossing the road as responder vehicles entered the scene.”

Melbourne shuts down after the Bourke Street terrorist attack. (Photo: Luke Hancock)