At least six people have died after a knife attack at a shopping center in Sydney, Australia. Several persons, including a small child, were injured during the attack on Saturday afternoon.
The attacker was shot dead on the scene by a senior police officer.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his shock at the attack. “For all of us tonight, the scene at Bondi Junction is something we cannot fathom or put into words.”
According to Albanese, the attacker acted alone.
The motive is not yet clear, but New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Anthony Cooke said terrorism cannot be ruled out at this stage.
“I still don’t know who he is. The investigation is still very new and we are trying to identify the attacker.”
A spokesperson for New South Wales Ambulance told AFP that eight patients were taken to various hospitals. The young child was taken to the children’s hospital. “They all suffered traumatic injuries.”
Footage from local media shows a man, who was wearing an Australian rugby league jersey, running through the shopping center with a large knife. Injured people lay on the ground.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as “panic”.
Pranjul Bokaria had just finished work and was shopping when the attack took place. She ran to a nearby shop and hid there. “It was terrifying. Some people were very emotional and they cried,” she told AFP. She eventually fled the scene through an emergency exit with other shoppers and staff.
“I am alive and grateful,” she added.
Reece Colmenares was on her way to the gym when she saw people “running and screaming” past her.
She told AFP the people said someone had been stabbed, so she and 10 or 12 other people went to hide in a hardware store.
“They took us to a room and closed the shop. It was terrifying. There were small children and elderly people and people in wheelchairs everywhere.”
