March 27 (UPI) — Four people died after a driver crashed into a homeless camp in Oregon early Sunday morning, officials said.
Police responded to the crash in the downtown area of Salem, Ore., around 2 a.m., the city’s police department said in a statement.
Two people in the camp died at the scene, they said. Four others were taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, two of whom have since died.
The conditions of the other two victims were not immediately known.
The identities of the driver and victims have not been released and the cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Photos published by the Salem Reporter showed homeless residents gathering their belongings which were scattered across the area after the crash. Tire marks in the grass in front of the encampment show the car’s apparent path.
“On behalf of the city and myself, my condolences go out to the friends and family of those affected by this terrible tragedy,” Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett said in a statement. “We continue to offer alternatives to unmanaged camping and encourage people to access those resources.”
Kristin Retherford, Salem’s interim city manager, indicated that several other homeless people were not injured but “experienced the trauma of this horrible event.”
