Stockholm attack: Four dead and 15 injured as 'terrorist' driving lorry ploughs into shoppers near mall

At least four people have died and 15 were injured after a hijacked truck ploughed into a shopping centre during a terror attack in Stockholm.

The lorry drove into several people on Drottninggatan, a busy street in the Swedish capital, before hitting the Ahlens shopping centre on Friday afternoon, police said.

A manhunt was under way for a terror suspect who is believed to have fled the truck after the attack.

Emergency services said four people died and nine of the 15 injured, including children, were in a serious condition in hospital.

Manhunt: Swedish police are hunting this man after a suspected terror attack in Stockholm
REUTERS

They told how victims lay dead in the street while medics and members of the public treated the injured.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said the incident was a terror attack and initially added that a man had been arrested at the scene.

Police released an image of a man, dressed in a grey hooded jacket, who they wanted to speak to in connection with the attack.

One person was arrested later in the day who matched the description of a suspect they were looking for, police said.

A spokesman initially said there had been no arrests, adding: “For the moment police are searching for a person or persons."

Officers also confirmed they were interviewing two people in relation to the truck attack but that "it did not mean they were suspects".

The truck crashed into the Ahlens department store in central Stockholm
AFP/Getty Images

At about 9pm local time, police said that one person had been arrested who may be connected with the incident.

They also confirmed they were interviewing two people in relation to the truck attack but that "it did not mean they were suspects".

The truck had been stolen while making a delivery to a restaurant further up Drottninggatan, Spendrups Brewery spokesman Marten Lyth said. A masked person jumped into the cab, started the truck and drove away, he said.

Dramatic images showed a huge police cordon at the scene and a swarm of emergency services vehicles in the busy shopping district.

Several people were seen being rushed away in ambulances, and live television footage showed smoke coming out of the department store.

Annevi Peterson described people lying dead and injured in the street with blood everywhere.

"I heard the noise, I heard the screams, I saw the people," she told BBC News.

"There was, just outside the store, there was a dead dog, the owner screaming, there was a lady lying with a severed foot.

"There was blood everywhere, there were bodies on the ground everywhere.

Emergency services vehicles swarmed the street in Stockholm
Rex

"There was a sense of panic, people standing by their loved ones but also people running away."

Vu Ly, a 24-year-old student living in Stockholm, who witnessed the incident, said "it was very intense", and "people were going crazy".

The student, originally from Vietnam, compared the scene to last month's attack in Westminster, adding: "I've never witnessed anything like that with my naked eyes, it was terrible."

Eyewitness Serwan Saleme told Sky News: "There was a lot of cars, people were very confused.

"People were everywhere and they (the police) were shouting at people to stay away from the roads.

"All the major stations are closed right now. There is a lot of chaos going on right now. Everyone is shocked."

Sweden truck crash - In pictures

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John Backvid was on the scene moments after the attack before emergency services arrived.

"Some people were on the ground doing CPR," he told BBC News.

"The first thing I felt was a bit of smoke in the air.

"I saw a gathering of people and the car on fire - it was deep in the store and the store fire alarm was on. It was quite chaotic."

Witness Ebba Thorneus told local newspaper Aftonbladet that police said:"Back, back, this is no joke."

Jan Granroth was in a shoe store on the road when he heard screams, the newspaper reported.

He said: “I look out at the store and I saw a huge truck slams into the wall opposite.

Another witness added: “I went to the main street when a big truck came out of nowhere.

“I could not see if anyone was driving it but it got out of control. I saw at least two being run over. I ran as fast as I could from there.”

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