There is an ongoing hostage situation in Barcelona after a vehicle hit pedestrians in a busy tourist area this afternoon.
Two police sources tell ABC News that there are two hostage takers.
The incident unfolded on Catalunya Square in Barcelona’s Las Ramblas district.
An eyewitness told a Spanish television station that the suspect was running people over in his vehicle for nearly 1,000 feet before fleeing into a nearby Turkish restaurant.
The witness said that the suspect had something in his hand but he could not tell what it was.
Local police confirm that victims have died after being hit by the vehicle.
Las Ramblas is a popular tourist area in Spain’s second-largest city.
The Barcelona transit system posted a message on its official Twitter account that numerous subway stations are closed and it urged people near the area to remain in place until further instructions from police.
The U.S. Consulate in Barcelona posted a warning on Twitter, saying it is “aware of a reported incident at Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Please avoid the area.”
We are aware of a reported incident at Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Please avoid the area and monitor local police @mossos for updates.
— USConsulateBarcelona (@USConsulateBCN) August 17, 2017
The emergency services Twitter account for the Catalonia region, of which Barcelona is the capital, posted tweets in multiple languages advising individuals to use social media to inform relatives of their whereabouts.
#Barcelona #Rambles If you are ok, please Inform your family using social networks to avoid the collapse of phone lines
— 112 (@112) August 17, 2017
