Politics & Government

Latest On Nice, France Bastille Day Attacks: Attacker Identified, More Than 80 Dead, Others 'Between Life and Death'

At least two Americans were killed in the attack.

The death toll from the Bastille Day attack in Nice, France, grew to more than 80 people Friday morning, including 10 children, French officials said, and at least 50 more people were "between life and death." A truck loaded with bombs and other munitions plowed through a crowd that was celebrating the annual French holiday.

At least two Americans were killed in the attack, a father and son from Lakeway, Texas, who were visiting the town on the French Riviera.

Here's more of the latest:

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  • Three UC Berkley students who were studying abroad were injured in the attack, and a fourth student has gone missing. A hospital-to-hospital search is ongoing for the missing student.
  • President Obama addressed the nation Friday afternoon, saying, "We are going to destroy this vile terrorist organization." He also called Newt Gingrich's idea of testing American Muslims "repugnant."
  • U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was in Nice teaching a class and left the country about 12 hours before the attack, according to the Associated Press.
  • President Obama has ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff until Tuesday in solidarity with France.
  • The driver has been identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhle, a 31-year-old Tunisian-born Frenchman. He was shot dead by police during the attack.
  • French prosecutor Francois Molins said the truck was rented on July 11 and was loaded with automatic weapons, bullets and a grenade.
  • U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump offered starkly different responses to the tragedy. Clinton called for increased intelligence but cautioned against an all-out military offensive. Trump, meanwhile, declared on Fox News that, "This is war" and reiterated his call to halt all Syrian refugees from entering the country.
  • Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a possible Trump running mate until Friday morning, proposed a test for all Muslims living in the United States. He said any U.S. Muslim who believes in Shariah should be deported. Gingrich also said anybody who visits websites "favoring ISIS or al Qaeda or other terrorist groups" should "go to jail."

Read more coverage from the BBC here.

Image Credit: Mayor Christian Estrosi via Twitter, Estrosi meets with first responders who responded to the Nice attack.

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