Sydney's eastern suburbs see several fatalities and injuries as police look into possible terror connections.
Sydney's eastern suburbs see several fatalities and injuries as police look into possible terror connections.
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A man was shot by police at a busy shopping centre in the eastern suburbs of Sydney after several people, including a baby, were stabbed.
Following a stabbing spree at a Bondi Junction shopping centre on Saturday afternoon, eight people were hospitalised and six people were pronounced dead.
At approximately 3:40 p.m. on Saturday, emergency services were summoned to Westfield Bondi Junction.
According to reports, one man had been shot and several people had been stabbed, a NSW Police spokesperson told AAP.
Police have declared a critical incident, and dozens of paramedics are treating patients on the scene.
Social media posts featuring large groups of people outside the mall were common.
Numerous ambulances were visible at the scene, along with tactical police.
Numerous accounts exist of individuals fleeing from a man who was hiding at the rear of stores while brandishing a knife.
Acting Premier Penny Sharpe expressed her surprise at the reports of numerous deaths.
“My thoughts and those of the NSW government are with the victims, their families and first responders at this time, as well as those who may have witnessed these horrific events,” Sharpe said.
Meanwhile, The premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, will return to Sydney right away after the Bondi Junction incident. On Saturday, Minns had left Sydney and was replaced by an acting premier.
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Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has extended his sympathies to the victims. He wrote on Twitter/X:
Anthony Cooke, assistant commissioner of police, is updating the press during a press conference.
Cooke confirms that a local police officer shot and killed the attacker.
“She confronted the offender who had moved by this stage to level five as she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him. He turned faced her raised a knife. She discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased.”
He added: “I’m advised that there are five victims who are now deceased as a result of the actions of this offender.”
Cooke said: “From preliminary inquiries, it would appear that this person has acted alone I am content that there is no continuing threat.”
He stated that, at this moment, police do not have "further information" on several questions.
"Our hearts go out to all of [the victims], as they do to anyone touched by this terrible incident," he said.
"This is quite raw, enquiries are very new and we are continuing to make attempts to identify the offender."
The opposition leader of Australia, Peter Dutton, has expressed his condolences to the victims. On X and Twitter, he wrote:
Australians will be in shock this evening at the tragic and terrifying events which have taken place at Westfield Bondi Junction.
We grieve for the five people who have been killed. We pray for those who have been rushed to hospital with injuries. We are thinking of all those families whose loved ones have been caught up in this attack. In the horror of this afternoon, there was also heroism.
We thank the police officers and first responders who acted so quickly, put themselves in harm’s way, and saved others. In particular, the bravery of one female officer who neutralised the assailant. We thank the brave shop keepers and staff who helped shoppers shelter amidst the chaos. We thank everyday Australians who helped each other get to safety and those who provided comfort to others in distress.
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