IA man killed five people with a knife and stabbed several others in a Sydney suburb. Australian police announced this in the afternoon. New South Wales State Police also confirm the death of an offender who was shot. The police did not provide more information about the attacker. Reports of a possible second attacker have not been confirmed. Australian broadcaster ABC reported, citing rescue workers, that seven people were taken to hospital with stab wounds, including a nine-month-old baby. It was initially unclear whether the attack was a terrorist attack or not.
The shopping center was immediately evacuated. Hundreds of people rushed out. Some are said to have cried. According to them, a dead body was lying on the ground. Witnesses told ABC that a man ran into the mall with a knife and stabbed customers. Station “9 News” showed a video of the alleged criminal walking through the mall with a knife in his right hand. He was wearing a sports shirt with a large V-shaped pattern. Some people were only a few meters away from him. In the video, he seems to be randomly following different people. Another video shows the same armed man being held back on an escalator by another person.
The witness heard three shots
In their initial statement, the police spoke of a “critical incident”. “Just before 4pm emergency services were called to Westfield Bondi Junction after several people had been stabbed.” The public is urged to avoid the area. “This incident is under investigation and no further details are available.” Two witnesses told The Sydney Morning Herald they were shopping when they saw about 20 people walking down the escalator. Someone shouted, “There's a man stabbing people!” reported by Hannah Bodrozic and Guy Johnston. There was chaos and they didn't know where to run. The shutters were closed on the shops around them. Then they heard three shots.
A large number of ambulance and police vehicles were parked on the streets outside the mall. Westfield Shopping Center is located in the Bondi Junction area east of Sydney, which is particularly busy at weekends. Central Sydney and the famous Bondi Beach are just a few minutes' drive away. ABC reporter Lia Harris reported that dozens, if not hundreds, of police officers stormed the mall.
Armed policemen also gathered on the roofs of the surrounding buildings. “It's swarming with emergency services,” the reporter told the TV station. Another ABC employee reported how she and other customers left the store through the back door. He praised the exemplary performance of the sales staff during the emergency. One young woman described the incident as “the worst thing I've ever experienced”. He saw a woman lying on the floor in a luxury clothing store. He was very scared and was afraid that he would die. “Just everything, every moment, is in my head,” he added.