Disturbing footage of a driver doing laps at a busy intersection in Melbourne was filmed by a pedestrian just moments before police saidhe "deliberately" struck down a number of pedestrians.

At least three people including a child are dead and nine more hospitalised (with 20 reportedly injured in total) after the car ran into pedestrians in the busy Bourke Street Mall area on Friday.

People took to social media to share the footage of the erratically-behaving vehicle. 

Tweet may have been deleted

Acting Commander Stuart Bateson told gathered reporters that authorities shot the suspect, adding that his injuries were non-life threatening and that he was in custody.

He also assured media the event was "not a CT [counter-terrorism] related incident,” and said the situation was now contained.