5 killed, 8 injured in Sydney shopping centre stabbings
Australian PM Albanese has called the mass stabbing ‘devastating’
Sydney, Australia - At least five people were killed in a stabbing spree at a shopping centre in Sydney on Saturday, the police and emergency services said.
The alleged offender, who engaged with ‘about nine people’ was shot dead by the police.
A spokesperson for the emergency services of New South Wales, of which Sydney is the capital, said that eight people, including a nine-month-old baby, have been stabbed and taken to hospitals across Sydney.
The baby has been taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick, while other victims were taken to different nearby hospitals, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported, citing the spokesperson.
The condition of the victims is not known but they were being treated for trauma wounds.
Police said emergency services were called to Westfield Bondi Junction in the eastern part of Sydney, just before 4pm (local time) after reports of multiple people being stabbed, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. “A critical incident has commenced following the shooting of a male at Bondi Junction,” police said in a statement.
Footage aired on local broadcasters showed a large number of emergency vehicles and personnel.
Armed police could also be seen conducting a search on the roof where the car park is located.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the mass stabbing ‘devastating’.
Albanese said he has been briefed by Australian Federal Police after the attack by a man at Bondi Junction Westfield on a busy Saturday afternoon.
In a statement, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said: “I am horrified to hear about the events at Bondi Junction this afternoon. I want to thank NSW Police, emergency services and first responders and the community for their bravery in the face of
this shocking incident.”
Witnesses describe scenes of sheer terror as a man, reportedly armed with a knife, ran amok, leaving bystanders in a state of shock and confusion.
“We didn’t really know where to go. We tried to go back in the other building but there were people running down that direction,” recounted Hannah Bodrozic, who was shopping in Country Road at the time. “Then we heard three gunshots and everyone just started screaming.”
In a swift response, heavily
armed tactical operations police descended upon the scene. “Heavily armed tactical operations police responded and shot a male offender,” as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Police responded to reports of multiple people stabbed at Bondi Westfield just before 4pm,” reported authorities.
Harrowing eyewitness accounts paint a picture of pandemonium within the shopping centre as terrified shoppers scrambled for safety. The sudden eruption of violence shattered the tranquillity of the bustling retail hub, leaving scores of people traumatised and reeling from the ordeal.
“You’d never expect something like this in Sydney,” remarked Guy Johnston, who witnessed the chaos unfold.
The sheer scale of the incident has prompted a massive law enforcement response, with officers from various commands converging on the scene to secure the area and launch a thorough investigatio.