A car has ploughed into a crowd of people at a fundraiser event for the families of 10 people who died in a recent house fire.
A total of 17 people are also injured after the man drove into the crowd in Berwick, Pennsylvania, before fleeing the scene and murdering a woman with a hammer in nearby Nescopeck, in the US.
The crash happened at 6.15pm local time (11.15pm BST) on Saturday outside an event at Intoxicology Department restaurant raising money for families of those killed in a fire earlier this month
The driver, a man who is now in custody, fled the crash scene and murdered a woman just minutes later with a hammer, Pennsylvania State Police said.
Police say they arrived and found the woman dead before arresting a man at the scene.
The vehicle matched the description of the one that had ploughed through the crowd in Berwick minutes earlier.
Authorities moved to say the suspect in the crash and murder is not the person accused of the fatal fire which killed 10 people on August 5.
“There is no indication that the incident in Berwick tonight was related to the event being held at Intoxicology Department,” Berwick's borough government said.
“After speaking with law enforcement at the scene, there is no ongoing threat to the public.”
At least 13 people hurt in the crash were taken to hospital to tend to their injuries.
The suspect is currently in custody awaiting a decision on charges.
Intoxicology Department said in a Facebook post it will close its doors after the incident.
It added: “Today was an absolute tragedy. We will be closed until further notice.
“Please respect our privacy while we grieve and try to process the events that occurred. Thank you.”
The crowd of people had been paying tribute and raising money for those killed in a fire in Nescopeck, a small town on the Susquehanna River, on August 5.
Pennsylvania State Police said they had launched a “complex criminal investigation” after the fire.
A total of 14 people lived in the complex and 10 died of smoke inhalation.
Seven adults ranging from late teens to age 79 were killed along with children aged five, six and seven.
It is still not clear how the fire was started.
Harold Baker, a volunteer firefighter in the town of Nescopeck, said he arrived to battle the blaze only to find out the victims were his own family.
The 10 victims included his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives.
His two children and the other young victims were visiting their aunt and uncle's home.
