Car plows into pedestrians in China, killing at least 5

By Simone McCarthy and Wayne Chang, CNN

At least five people were killed and 13 others injured when a car accelerated through pedestrians at an intersection in the southern Chinese hub of Guangzhou on Wednesday evening, state media said.

Videos circulating on social media and geolocated by CNN appeared to show the vehicle, a black SUV, plowing through pedestrians on two separate crossings in the four-way intersection in a busy, upmarket commercial district of the city of 19 million.

Another video, circulating online and cited by state media, appears to show the driver throwing handfuls of cash out of his vehicle after pulling to the side of the road.

Local authorities said police had “controlled” the driver, a 22-year-old man from Guangdong province, and further investigation was underway.

The incident occurred during rush hour at 5:25 p.m., when many scooters, cars and pedestrians could be seen on the road.

Police and medical staff were immediately dispatched, according to local authorities, which also confirmed the casualty numbers.

An eyewitness cited in a report from state-run China News Service said the vehicle plowed through pedestrians at the junction without stopping afterward.

While the incident was reported by China’s official media, it was not among trending topics on the country’s heavily controlled social media platform Weibo on Thursday morning.

The-CNN-Wire
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