Authorities in Las Vegas were trying to determine Monday why a woman drove her vehicle onto a crowded sidewalk on the famed Strip, plowing into panicked pedestrians in a horror show that left one person dead and dozens injured.
The tragedy late Sunday apparently was intentional but was not an act of terrorism, police said. Few details about the woman were immediately revealed.
Tourist Justin Cochrane said he and two other people had just sat down for dinner when the car began careening onto the sidewalk.
"It was mayhem and it was very intentional," Cochran told CNN. "People were flying. It was a sound I will never forget. It (the car) wasn't hitting cars, it was hitting people."
Lt. Peter Boffelli said the vehicle was in the northbound lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard near Bellagio Way when the driver went onto the sidewalk in front of the Paris Hotel & Casino, slamming into dozens of pedestrians.
Clark County Fire officials first received a call about the incident at 6:38 p.m. PT. According to Las Vegas Police Capt. Brett Zimmerman, the driver went onto the sidewalk and hit pedestrians at two different points. Zimmerman told NBC News she then drove the 1996 Oldsmobile to a hotel and left it in a parking space.
A three-year-old toddler was in the car with the woman, neither one was injured, Zimmerman told the Associated Press. Lt. Dan McGrath said police were working to determine if the woman was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Six of the 26 people transported to hospitals were in critical condition, Boffelli said. Four people were treated and released.
"This is a huge tragedy that has happened on our Strip," Boffelli said.
