‘Hero’ police inspector shoots mall knifeman
Six people were killed and several others – including a baby – seriously injured when a knife-wielding man went on a stabbing spree at a Sydney shopping centre before being shot dead by a senior police officer.
The inspector was in the area and entered the centre, catching up with the man on level five of the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre late yesterday afternoon as people fleeing gave directions.
“She confronted the offender ... as she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him, he turned, faced her, (and) raised a knife,” New South Wales police assistant commissioner Tony Cooke said last night. She then shot him.
The officer has been praised for her heroism and credited with saving lives.
Police believe the man acted alone but are still working to identify him, and nothing at the scene so far indicates “any motive or ideology”, Cooke said.
He said details were limited as police began a lengthy and precise investigation of a large crime scene.
“Things are very, very raw at this stage and we are in the very early stages of investigations.”
The man was seen on CCTV entering the centre about 3.10pm (local time), leaving, and then returning a short time later, when he attacked nine people, Cooke said.
Six died of stab wounds, including the mother of the seriously injured baby. Two brothers who had been shopping in the mall described trying to assist the mother and child.
Multiple posts on social media showed crowds of people outside the shopping centre as it was placed into lockdown.
One man told ABC: “They just said run, run, run someone's been stabbed.”
“[The attacker] was walking really calmly like he was having an ice cream in a park. And then he went up the escalators ... and probably within about a minute we heard three gunshots,” he said. Another witness told 7News the responding inspector had saved lives.
“If she didn’t shoot he would have kept going and I don't know how many more he would have done,” he said.
Other witnesses told of grabbing their children and running from the centre along with hundreds of other people.
Roi Huberman told the ABC he sheltered in a store as the incident unfolded and later saw people leaving the centre in tears.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the policewoman who confronted the knifeman.
“She is certainly a hero. There’s no doubt that she saved lives through her action.”
He also praised a male shopper who appeared to use a bollard to confront the assailant coming up an escalator.
The shopper, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, was described by admirers on social media as “bravery personified”, “an absolute hero”, “a god-tier legend” and deserving of an Order of Australia medal.
Albanese also paid tribute to the shop staff who helped members of the public hide.
Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton said Australians would be in shock over the “tragic and terrifying events” and grieving for those who died.