At least 84 people have died after a terrorist drove a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice last night
The world has united in mourning for the dead, with millions taking to social media posting tributes under the hashtag PrayForNice.
But what do we know so far about the lorry attack in Nice?
- A terrorist drove a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day on Thursday night in the seaside city of Nice on the French Riviera, killing at least 84 people, including several children.
- Eyewitnesses said the driver swerved from side to side to kill as many people as possible as he drove for hundreds of metres along the Promenade des Anglais on the seafront.
- One witness said the driver produced a gun before being shot by police.
- No hostages were taken and the lorry driver was “neutralised”, with authorities investigating if he was acting alone.
- Nice regional president Christian Estrosi said guns and grenades were found in the lorry.
- As the sun rose on Friday morning, the lorry could still be seen where it finally came to a halt, its windscreen peppered with bullet holes.
- French President Francois Hollande said the country’s state of emergency would be extended for another three months.
- French media reported that the killer was known to police but for petty crime, not terrorism.
- A military operation is in place allowing the mobilisation of 10,000 troops.
- Mr Hollande said the country’s borders were being tightened, as he vowed that France would show “real force and military action in Syria and Iraq”.
- A Rihanna concert scheduled for Friday night at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice has been cancelled, as have the city’s jazz festival, which was due to run from Saturday to Wednesday, and some of the Bastille celebrations over the weekend.