An attacker who fatally knifed six individuals in a Sydney mall was shot lifeless by police within the beachside suburb of Bondi on Saturday, police mentioned, as a whole lot fled the scene.
The assailant was shot by a police officer after he attacked consumers within the busy Westfield Bondi Junction purchasing centre, police mentioned in a press release.
5 of the six victims killed had been ladies, whereas eight individuals — together with a nine-month-old child — had been taken to hospital with stab wounds, New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb informed a information convention.
Police at this stage don’t consider the assault was terrorism-related, Webb mentioned.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned there was no indication but of the person’s motive.
“This was a horrific act of violence, indiscriminately focusing on harmless individuals going about an strange Saturday doing their purchasing,” he informed a information convention.
“Tonight the primary ideas of all Australians are with the victims of those horrible acts.”
Australia has a few of the world’s hardest gun and knife legal guidelines, and assaults such because the one on Saturday are uncommon.
Emergency companies had been known as to the mall, about three kilometres from Sydney’s iconic Bondi Seaside fashionable with kids and households, simply earlier than 4 p.m. native time after the stabbing reviews, police mentioned.
Witness heard gunshots
Ayush Singh, 25, was working in a restaurant within the mall when he noticed the assault after which heard gunshots as police responded.
“I noticed the man with the knife operating and chasing individuals. As he walked simply previous beside me I heard two or three gunshots and the man was neutralized,” he informed Reuters.
“Individuals round me had been terrified. There have been some outdated girls I helped to get them inside a secure place contained in the café.”
Two different witnesses informed Reuters they heard photographs.
“Even 20 minutes after individuals had been rushed out of the mall, I noticed SWAT groups of individuals sweeping the encircling streets,” one witness mentioned.
‘He was on the rampage’
The opposite witness mentioned they noticed a lady mendacity on the bottom and took shelter in a jewellery retailer.
An eyewitness described the police officer capturing the attacker to state broadcaster ABC.
“If she didn’t shoot him, he would have stored going. He was on the rampage,” mentioned the person, who didn’t give his identify. “She went over and was giving him CPR. He had a pleasant huge blade on him. He appeared like he was on a killing spree.”
Individuals within the mall had directed the officer to the attacker’s location on the fifth stage, New South Wales assistant police commissioner Anthony Cooke informed reporters.
“As she continued to stroll shortly behind him to meet up with him, he turned, confronted her, raised a knife, she discharged a firearm and that particular person is now deceased,” Cooke mentioned.
It seems the attacker acted alone and “there isn’t a persevering with risk,” he mentioned.
A number of posts on social media confirmed crowds fleeing the mall and police automobiles and emergency companies speeding to the realm.
The mall will stay closed on Sunday whereas an investigation continues, police mentioned.