Mass Casualty Incident Declared After Car Slams Into DC Restaurant's Outdoor Seating Area

Updated (4:25 p.m.): This story was updated with information about the one fatality reported.

WASHINGTON, DC — One person was killed and seven people were injured early Friday afternoon when an SUV driven by an elderly man slammed into the outdoor seating area of the Parthenon restaurant on Connecticut Ave, Northwest.

Emergency personnel took eight people to a nearby hospital. Five of the victims were suffering from life-threatening injuries, Fire Chief John Donnelly said in a news conference. One of the five later died from their injuries.

Medical personnel also treated three other victims at the scene, according to authorities.

"All indications are that this was truly accidental," Commander Duncan Bedlion of the Metropolitan Police Department told reporters. "There was no indication that this was intentional. Unfortunately, the driver of the vehicle that was involved was operated by a person who lost control."

Although the exact nature of how the driver lost control will be the focus of the police investigation, Bedlion did say the driver was an elderly man, who has been cooperating with police. The driver also received medical treatment at the scene of the crash.

Witnesses to the crash flagged down nearby police officers, which aided in the quick response by emergency services, according to Bedlion.

The first emergency units to arrive at the Parthenon declared it a "mass casualty incident," which brought more units to help in the evacuation of the injured victims, Donnelly said.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed the incident or been in the area to call MPD at 202-727-9099. Video may be sent by texting 50411.