Nice terror attack: 80 killed by truck crashing into Bastille Day crowd

Truck crashes into crowd at Bastille Day celebration in Nice

• Vehicle speeds for 2km through busy crowd
• 80 people killed, including children
• Counter-terrorist investigators leading the probe
• Driver 'was 31-year-old man from Nice of Tunisian origin'
• Hollande extends French state of emergency
• Everything we know so far on Friday morning
• Donald Trump: 'It’s only getting worse'

A terrorist gunman killed 80 people and wounded scores when he drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday.

The driver was shot dead after barrelling the truck two kilometres (1.3 miles) through the festive crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies.

Authorities said they found identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian citizen in the truck, as well as "guns" and "larger weapons".

In a pre-dawn address to the nation, President Francois Hollande called up military and police reservists to relieve forces worn out by an eight-month state of emergency begun after the Islamic State militant group killed 130 people in Paris. The state of emergency has been extended.

"France is filled with sadness by this new tragedy," Hollande said, noting several children were among the dead in what he said he had no doubt was an act of terrorism.

Update on gunman's weapons

The truck driver who rammed his vehicle into a massive crowd in Nice fired a pistol several times before being shot dead by police, a local official said Friday.

"At the moment that he was shot dead by police, he had fired several times," said president of the region Christian Estrosi.

A source close to the investigation said an "inactive" grenade was found inside the 19-tonne truck, as well as "several fake rifles".

Regional lawmaker Eric Ciotti described "terrifying images, a scene of absolute horror, with many children among the dead".

"Families who were sharing a moment of leisure were targeted. It was a symbolic day in a symbolic place. That... motivated the attack," he said.

Latest Foreign Office statement

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are deeply concerned about reports of an incident in Nice and are in touch with the local authorities to seek more information.

"Our thoughts are with those affected and we stand by to help any British nationals."

British Embassy crisis centre activated

British ambassador to France Julian King said that the embassy crisis centre had been activated, and tweeted: "Thoughts with the victims and their families."

It was unclear on Friday morning if any of the victims were British.

Source: telegraph