A van drove into pedestrians Thursday, in an attack in the center of Barcelona, killing at least one person and injuring others, according to early reports.
Law enforcement said they did not know if the attacker was motivated by terrorism.
The newspaper El Pais reported that several people were killed and around 20 were injured.
The van jumped the sidewalk around 5:30 p.m. local time in the vicinity of the city’s historic Las Ramblas pedestrian mall, a top tourist destination. Law enforcement said there is an ongoing search for the person who carried out the attack.
Authorities urged people to avoid the area around Placa Catalunya. Emergency services asked people in the area to remain inside until police announce it’s safe to leave.
The Associated Press reported that police are cordoning off the popular area and ordering nearby stores and train stations to close.
Mariano Rajoy, prime minister of Spain, said he is in contact with authorities and that the priority is to attend to the injured.
A White House official told NBC News that White House chief of staff John Kelly is aware of the situation and keeping President Donald Trump informed.
A man on a bus tweeted out a video at the location of emergency responders rushing past.
Police are clearing people off the street.
@hellokenzie_7: Police clearing people off #larambla in #barcelona
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
— Reuters, NBC News and The Associated Press contributed reporting.
