Police arrested a driver following a wild car chase in Melbourne's CBD that killed three and injured at least 20 more.  Although there were vague similarities to incidents in Europe, police say this was not related to terrorism.

At one point, the suspect was caught on video driving the maroon-colored sedan in erratic circles outside Flinders Street Station.  He then sped off to the north to the Bourke Street Mall.

Former Victoria Police Commissioner Christine Nixon happened to be a few meters from the scene.  She told ABC Radio, "I turned around and saw the car.  He was probably about a meter from me and I kind of just stepped back, and he went by and then continued on down Bourke Street on the footpath, being chased by police officers, who were probably about two or three seconds down the road chasing him, chasing the car."

Witness Rebecca Russo told Fairfax Media, "People were running out of the way, they were going very, very fast.  I saw him hit a few people.  I saw bodies flying into the air."

Officers fired shots to try and stop the driver, who was pulled out of the now-wrecked vehicle and arrested.  He was wanted in the stabbing of his brother in Saint Kilda earlier in the day.

Acting commissioner of police Stuart Bateson told Fairfax:  "A male deliberately drove into pedestrians in Bourke Street Mall.  We have three deceased and 20 injuries.  We believe this is connected to an earlier stabbing in the southern metro region.  We have the offender in custody.  I can also confirm this is not a CT (counter terrorism) related incident.  There is no ongoing threat to the public."

Still, Melbourne's lord mayor Robert Doyle locked down the CBD for the night.