Transcript for SPECIAL REPORT: A van drove through a crowd in Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain

This is an ABC news special report. A good afternoon I'm Tom yum as we continue to follow that breaking news out of Europe all horrific terrorist attack on the streets of Barcelona. Police and eyewitnesses tell us. That of sand has plowed into at least all hundred people. In one of the busiest tourist areas. All of that city it's called lost from lost essentially the Fifth Avenue all of Barcelona. And there were several people because this happened around 5 o'clock PM. This early evening there in Spain now we had a chance to speak with an eyewitness who saw it all his story is very striking and very graphic. Chicken got a chart that you don't. Green people look to my desk and when I looked up soared the white batting and it must be doing 2808200. Found a pedestrian. Awkward. And I'm just just just knocking people over. A high speed until blended event it could stick coating and sort. Kinda stop. Oh the Scituate I was pregnant. You sort of unit and an intricate going against. Oh advantage stop from public and the impact of the people. Everything all the people think you're going on at which point we realized that was you know what a dangerous situation. Come around sort of under the opens doors we're we're these are essential it shut down. Over thirty minutes and probably in the shots we that but the stressing that the fled on foot. We we've we shall. Not be blocked incident and walked back here on the guitar call. Which is all. Yeah. And then we had about as gunshots so so we ran back into a second building lit the construction workers. Since live it or any minute. I can't come out of that not a wall in trying to get back to what the it is equally tricky scenario I mean I'm standing on the porno. Well one of the main roads and I'm done and the increasing the book is this is going to policeman. On that you. Achieve the seat unlocked on the moment. And brand and sold so when you runs that restaurant you know how this band came to a stop did he crash. And what was this seemed like streets the FXX. Stop. I think just under the force the people of cruel. And they going I don't know what happened off all or what actual. Biggest lead we rented out but I'm Bernard Sorgi was traveling at high you'd get a little talking to a people. You're right tibia that was that the drug and of course. I'm and then load so darn well that wouldn't be so that would be brought will be suddenly I get into it. This sort of dentistry damage it is difficult to. To coordinate the hunt the ministry damaged. And it looked like it took it the oval almost a bit of the completely up front about. And actually get that but about maybe what stopped it but didn't get going. Will you stop it and get there again at any time and actually nine that's marketer of this rhetoric from the from from the scene. That was Brent insisting that tourist who saw the entire thing happened as you heard Brandon say there he heard five gunshots and we are under the assumption right now that they're still. Very much an active scene that the driver at least another suspect. Went into a restaurant there formed. Our chief foreign correspondent Terry Wright has been following that development. That's right come this is an ongoing situation what looks to be a two phase terror attack a Spanish police are calling it the first. That van attack that we just heard about an appalling. Driving through that pedestrian crowd this second a hostage situation police sources confirmed to ABC news. In a restaurant not far. From where that van attack occurred two gunmen apparently entered the restaurant. There have been shots fired at as as our eye witness has said. Right now police are negotiating and and you local media are reporting that they have surrounded this area there clearing all of the streets. Telling people to shelter inside and telling others to stay out of this district. Barcelona officials telling us at least one person dead 32 people. Injured they do expect the death pool to rise and here's one of the reasons wife we heard from an eyewitness who said that van was traveling at least. Eighty kilometers per hour that's about fifty miles per hour if not more. Heating at least a hundred people who were in this plaza. And this is a type of terrorist attack we have seen before I want to bring in our chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross when you see these images you've heard that story of how this ban. Entered into the walkway. Your thoughts well this has been no claim of responsibility by arises this has all the trademarks of a crisis attack. And in fact already we're seeing online ices followers celebrating the attack there's been no official claim of responsibility when nor that you don't generally comes from. It comes just two weeks after ice is followers predicted an attack coming in Spain now we also know Tom that the police have told us in Spain. That they know the name of the man who rented the van and those seeking him he may or may not have been the driver of the van but they're seeking that one individual. But as you say this has the trademarks of similar ice attacks going back. To at least France last Bastille day 86 people were killed and then the Christmas market in Berlin. We're about 24 people were killed. And then two attacks in London on the London bridge and the Westminster bridge vices has regularly urged his followers to use whatever they can to kill innocent civilians. To find prominent places like that like the Romulus. And then to carry out attacks would vehicles. It no no doubt follows that pattern we just saw car tax here in America just this week don't want to bring in. Our senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega she's traveling with the president today. It is here that we know as the president deals with all the fallout from Charlottesville he's also closely monitoring the situation. His chief of staff Tom John Kelly as is keeping him abreast on the situation there in Barcelona so we do know that he has been brief time we've also. Just moments ago got some pretty strong words from secretary of state Rex Tillerson who is at the State Department. Saying that this has quote the hallmarks it appears of yet another terrorist attack he sent a message what he said directly to terrorists around the world we are resolved to find you. And to bring you to justice he says that this United States stands ready to assist the authorities in Barcelona and the State Department also asking any. Americans there to stay away from that active scene there in Barcelona and to reach out to their families to let them know that indeed they are safe. No word yet directly from the president Tom the First Lady is the first person to comment officially from this white house with the tweet today say thoughts and prayers to Barcelona. Cecilia Vega for us if you're just joining our coverage right now we continue to fall the breaking news. At a Barcelona police and eyewitnesses tell us someone has taken a van and has plowed into several people in one of the busiest tourist areas. All of course a lot of this happened around 5 o'clock PM their time there in Spain and as of right now we know that there is one person dead at least 32 injured. The pictures are incredibly graphic the stories and eyewitnesses have told us we're that the red at least a hundred people on a pedestrian walkway and his. Then turned off a side street. And just. Plowed into people so people were going airborne several others trapped underneath this fan officials they are telling us they do expect the death told for rise we're gonna be continuing to monitoring this. Active and very breaking situation throughout the afternoon will Hubble full update with our entire team. Later tonight. On world news tonight with David here we thank you for watching we now return for scheduled program. This has been a special report. For me he's.

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