A white van crashed into a packed summer crowd this evening in Barcelona’s historic Las Ramblas district. Barcelona police confirmed it was a terror attack. Officials said 13 people were killed and more than 100 injured.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The terror group has frequently declared that it was behind terrorist incidents in recent years, but experts have warned their claims should be treated with caution.
The driver was arrested around two and a half hours after the attack, police said. A second suspect was also arrested.
Police shot dead a third man who drove at officers at a checkpoint. It was not clear whether he was connected to the Las Ramblas attack.
One of the arrested men was named as Driss Oukabir. He is suspected of renting the van, but later denied involvement and reportedly said his documents had been stolen.