Man charged in "targeted" attack on Australian lawmaker Helen Haines

Australian police charged a man on Tuesday over what they alleged was a "targeted" attack with a vehicle on independent lawmaker Helen Haines.Haines has reportedly lost one of her legs in the aftermath of the incident on Monday afternoon, in which a car rammed into her multiple times as she stood near the trunk of her own parked vehicle in the southeastern city of Wangaratta, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Authorities said the 65-year-old was getting something from the back of her car when her alleged attacker drove past in a Toyota Land Cruiser. He allegedly turned the car around before veering into Haines, pinning her against her own vehicle and then reversing before ramming into her again, according to local authorities and Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

Brendan Nugent, from nearby Tarrawingee, was charged with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official, police said in a statement on Tuesday. Police have said little about the suspect's potential motive, but they have characterized the incident as a "deliberate" act of violence. Political violence is historically uncommon across Australia, though data show threats have grown in recent years.Suspect to face court on WednesdayNugent has been in police custody since shortly after Haines was injured and a crowd of bystanders subdued him.