They crushed Australian MP Helen Haines with a vehicle! 'It may have been intentional'

There was an attack in Australia that shook the political world. Independent MP Helen Haines was seriously injured when she was hit by a vehicle near her constituency office in Wangaratta, Victoria. After the incident, surrounding people neutralized the driver and kept him under control until police teams arrived.

It was stated that in the incident, which took place on Murphy Street at approximately 15.35 local time on Monday, Haines was hit by a four-wheel drive Toyota Land Cruiser while he was near the luggage compartment of his vehicle. Police detained a 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee, in Haines' constituency. A knife was also seized from the suspect's vehicle.

THE ATTACK IS CONSIDERED TO BE INTENTIONAL

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the incident was considered by the authorities as a deliberate attack, but the reason behind the attack is not yet known. He reported that the country's joint anti-terrorism team was also activated within the scope of the investigation.

Albanese praised Haines in his statement to reporters in Sydney, saying that the MP is highly respected both in political circles and in the region he represents.

Stating that Haines is an extremely hard-working and sharp-witted politician, Albanese emphasized that his most important characteristics are his honesty and good character. The Prime Minister stated that Haines was a well-liked figure, respected in parliament and among those who met him, and that the incident would be a great shock for the people of the region.

HE IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION, HE IS EXPECTED TO BE REFERRED TO MELBOURNE

Victoria police said Haines was injured in a “critical” condition and was expected to be airlifted to Melbourne for treatment. The police stated that the crime scene covered a very large area and that the investigation was continuing.

Authorities noted that at this stage there is no intelligence indicating an ongoing threat to another person or the public. The police emphasized that the incident is being treated as an isolated attack for now.

POLITICAL TENSION WARNING FROM THE PRIME MINISTER

Stating that the investigation only started a few hours ago, Albanese refrained from commenting in detail on the ongoing investigation. However, referring to his previous statements, he reiterated his call to reduce the tension in political discourse.

The reason for the attack on Haines, who has represented the Indi constituency in Victoria state since 2019, has not yet been clarified. The investigation into the incident, where the suspect is in custody, continues.