Melbourne CBD attack: 'I rang him up and he said: Dad, I nearly died today'

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This was published 6 years ago

Melbourne CBD attack: 'I rang him up and he said: Dad, I nearly died today'

By Ebony Bowden, Anna Prytz and Aisha Dow
Updated

Melbourne teen Ethan Caruso was crossing the Elizabeth Street intersection with his friend Andre when they saw an SUV coming straight for them.

He heard the sounds of the carnage first.

"It was just screaming and then all these thuds of people, flying over the top of this car," he said.

"There was a man in front of me who was unlucky enough to be hit.

Brunswick East teenager Ethan Caruso with his father Peter Caruso and mother Anna Bucci.

Brunswick East teenager Ethan Caruso with his father Peter Caruso and mother Anna Bucci. Credit: Joe Armao, Fairfax Media.

"He was very close and when he got hit the car was still travelling quite fast, so he just came straight back at me – almost ricocheting off the car.

"As soon as he hit me I was swept off my feet. At the moment my legs were up in the air, the car just went straight past me and whacked my foot."

The 17-year-old Northcote High School student is one of the 19 victims hospitalised after Thursday's attack outside Flinders Street Station. Ethan has been credited with saving his mate , who was even closer to the rampaging vehicle.

"Without much time to react, I sort of whacked him and got him out of the way," Ethan said.

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"If I hadn't pulled him he probably would have got hit."

Ethan suffered foot, neck, shoulder and elbow injuries and was treated at the Royal Children's Hospital on Thursday evening, but has since been discharged.


Victim's son 'traumatised' after hearing attack

The wife of one of the men injured in the Flinders Street attack says their 13-year-old son has been left traumatised after hearing the moment his father was hit by an SUV.

Rohit Kaul, an Optus employee, was on his way home from work and on the phone to his son Avi when he was struck by the car.

Rohit Kaul and his wife Natasha.

Rohit Kaul and his wife Natasha.

Mr Kaul, 45, sustained a broken leg and fractured ribs after he was thrown into the air. He had surgery at The Alfred hospital on Friday morning, where he is in a stable condition.

Natasha Kaul said although she was incredibly thankful her husband was alive, her son was shaken after hearing the incident unfold.

"It is a hard day," Mrs Kaul said, after spending all night at hospital.

"We could hear screaming in the background and people shouting. He said 'Mama, something is wrong'. He got scared and started to panic."

Mrs Kaul, a correspondent for Press Trust of India, said a couple walking in front of her husband came to his rescue and called her back.

"He said don't panic, but your husband is injured. They were very helpful and calmed me down.

"I spoke to Rohit and he told me he was fine but he kept fainting. I'm thankful he has no major injuries."

The hospital

The Alfred Hospital emergency department staff knew all too well what to do when the first Flinders Street victim was rushed through the doors about half an hour after the attack.

"We unfortunately become better at it every something like this happens," said Carl Luckhoff, The Alfred's acting director of emergency and trauma.

"It means you can foresee something that you may not have last time."

They had people coming with head injuries, with lung injuries, with shock and fear.

"We knew there were anything between 10 and 15 casualties," Dr Luckhoff said.

In the end, they had 11 patients, nine in a stable condition, two critical.

"As a team in a hospital, we're extremely proud that we're able to respond so quickly," he said. "But when you see it unfold, you're sad that it's occurred. It's nothing that anyone wants."

The injured

Twenty people were injured including the driver after he ploughed through pedestrians on the corner of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street about 4.40pm Thursday afternoon: seventeen victims, the driver and the off-duty police officer who was injured while arresting the driver.

Nine of the victims are overseas nationals, including from South Korea, China, Italy, India, Venezuela, Ireland and New Zealand.

Police released an updated list of victims and have confirmed an 83-year-old Northcote man, and two men who are both South Korean nationals, aged 61 and 67 all remain in a critical condition.

A four-year-old boy who was injured, who is a South Korean national living in Hoppers Crossing, is in a stable condition.

A 40-year old Venezuelan national from Elwood is serious but stable, while a 47-year-old Richmond woman, 36-year-old Mentone woman, 35-year-old Mernda woman, 30-year-old Craigieburn woman are all in a stable condition.

Among the overseas nationals are a 25-year-old Irish woman living in Caulfield, a 24-year-old Chinese man, and a 45-year-old Indian man, who are all also in a stable condition.

Ethan was among those discharged on Friday as well as a 33-year-old Seaford woman, a 43-year-old New Zealand man living in Heathmont, and a 25-year-old Italian man.

A 58-year-old woman from Coburg and a 25-year-old Reservoir woman also went to hospital but were not admitted.

A spokeswoman from the New Zealand high commission said it had offered assistance to the New Zealander and their family but couldn't release more details due to privacy considerations.

A woman at the Chinese consulate in Melbourne said the Chinese citizen was receiving medical care.

Italy's consulate-general said the Italian national had been injured and was not in a critical condition.

The Royal Melbourne has set up a relatives' room near the emergency department to give families privacy and support.

"Social work and nursing staff led this response and were able to support and address the concerns and needs of worried family and friends," a spokeswoman said.

"Families and next-of-kin for these patients are being supported by RMH staff."

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said the heroic off-duty police officer who arrested the driver was coping well.

"He's obviously doing well but like all members, many will be shaken up," Mr Gatt told radio station 3AW.

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"When it's on the scale of what we saw yesterday, on the scale of Bourke Street, they're images and experiences that stay with police officers for the rest of their lives."

Anyone troubled by Thursday's incident can call the SANE Australia Helpline on 1800 18 7263 read the information on the Phoenix Australia website or access this DHS guide.

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