SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mr. Gutjahr, you are in Nice, the attack occurred directly in front of your hotel. what did you see?
Gutjahr: I stood on the balcony of my hotel room. The National Day fireworks were just over. Suddenly a white truck rolled past. That didn't fit into the picture because the streets were closed to all vehicles. The truck drove very slowly, some people roared. It looked strange, so I started filming on my phone.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: What happened then?
Gutjahr: A motorcyclist drove up to the truck and tried unsuccessfully to open the driver's door while driving. It was like in a movie. Police officers opened fire at the intersection, then the driver stepped on the gas and ran over the first people. I cannot judge whether it was because of the shots or whether he planned it the same way. That would be speculation.
Video: Eyewitness Gutjahr filmed the beginning of the attack
Richard Gutjahr / Tagesschau
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Then you went down on the street. Did you also film there?
Gutjahr: Yes, I took photos and also other videos. But I made a conscious decision not to publish the material on Twitter or Facebook. Instead, I sent everything to the WDR editorial team. There, professionals decide what should be published and how.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Why are you in Nice?
Gutjahr: I spend a long weekend here privately. For the first time I wanted to experience the national holiday in France. Police, fire and military vehicles drove through the streets here all Thursday. It was a huge spectacle. It became terribly serious in the late evening.
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Nice: National Day attack
