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Van plows into crowd in Barcelona; terrorism suspected Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city fo Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in teh city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. [AP Photo/Manu Fernandez] Thursday Aug 17, 2017 at 8:58 AM Aug 17, 2017 at 10:31 AM By William Booth, Karla Adam, Brian MurphyThe Washington Post LONDON — A driver swerved a van onto a pedestrian area Thursday in Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas district, ramming into crowds and leaving dead and injured scattered along a stretch of tree-shaded sidewalk. Spanish police did not immediately give details on the driver or a possible reason for the incident, but described the aftermath as "massive." A Twitter post by regional Catalan police said there were "mortal victims and injured from the crash" without giving specific numbers. The El Pais newspaper, quoting anonymous police sources, reported that authorities were treating the crash as a terrorist attack. The Barcelona-based La Vanguardia newspaper reported at least one dead and 20 injured, and the newspaper El Mundo put the death toll as high as 13, citing police sources. But the information could not be independently confirmed. El Pais and the AFP news agency also reported that a possible suspect was holed up in a bar. Gunshots were heard in the area, but the source of the gunfire was not clear. Cities around the world have been on higher alert for vehicle-linked attacks after terrorist crashes in London, Stockholm, Berlin and other places in the past year. The extent of injuries also was not immediately known. Video posted on social media showed at least four people sprawled on the sidewalk, some apparently not moving. Hats, handbags and other items were strewn nearby. Some people ran screaming from the scene. The white van that veered into the pedestrians came to stop with its front scratched and crumpled. "All of a sudden, the police just shouted at everyone, telling them just to run. There was a really loud kind of crashing noise. I didn't stop to look back," Ethan Spieby, a witness caught up in the commotion, told the BBC. He said that he was holed up in a church with about 80 tourists and locals. "They have locked the doors and I think the police are outside. We're just waiting in here right now to hear more news. It's quite scary to be caught up in it." Andrew Roby, 35, a tourist visiting from Washington, told The Washington Post he saw a small white van that had plowed into pedestrians on the busy central street, lined with bars, cafes and shops. "All of sudden, everyone started running so we ran, too." Roby saw several people, apparently wounded, lying in front of and beside the van. "We saw people on the ground ... I heard a bunch of people screaming." Police immediately cordoned off the area in the center of Barcelona. Stores and restaurants were ordered closed. Las Ramblas is one of the city's top tourist zones, with a wide pedestrian promenade flanked by roadways on either side. In Washington, a White House official said Chief of Staff John Kelly "is aware of the situation, and keeping the president abreast." — Murphy reported from Washington. David Nakamura in Washington contributed to this report.