Six people were killed and at least two injured in a knife attack at a crowded shopping mall in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday afternoon.The riots were the country’s deadliest act of mass violence Since 2017.
The attacker, whose identity has not been released, was shot and killed by a police officer, authorities said. Police said there is no longer a threat to the public.
Here’s what we know so far about the shooting.
What happened in Sydney?
The attack occurred at Westfield Bondi Junction, a popular shopping center in Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs near the coast.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as shoppers noticed people running around and said someone in the mall had a knife. As the attacker walked through the mall, he began stabbing people, police said.
Five people were injured at the scene and one later died in hospital, police said. Among the hospitalized patients is a 9-month-old baby, some of whom are in critical condition.
Shortly after 3:30 pm local time, the mall received multiple calls about knife incidents.
A police officer was ushered into the shopping center before her attacker was shot dead as the knife-wielding man lunged at her with the weapon.
Michael Dunkley, 57, who witnessed the attack, said the officer directed the man to drop the knife. Dunkley said the attacker “didn’t say anything.” “He seemed determined.”
The motive for the attack is unclear.
Authorities have not formally identified the man but said they believe they know his identity and that he is 40 years old and acted alone.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the attacker’s motive was unclear but there was no suggestion it was a hate crime or linked to terrorism.
“If it was who we thought it was, then we wouldn’t be concerned about that person, in other words, this was not a terrorism incident,” Commissioner Webber said.
A witness described the attacker as a thin man with a beard and short hair, wearing dark green pants and a green jersey.
Bondi Junction is a shopping and tourist centre.
Bondi Junction is an affluent area of Sydney where tourists and beach lovers come to stroll, shop and hang out with friends.
The area attracts crowds on weekends, when people can shop at the high-end stores at Westfield Mall, watch movies or buy groceries.
After a major renovation in 2005, the area became known as one of the largest shopping centers in the Southern Hemisphere.
The area also serves as an entry point for beachgoers and residents from central Sydney to many of the city’s popular coastlines.
The attack is not unusual in Australia.
The mall stabbing was the country’s worst act of mass violence since 2017, when a man driving intentionally After he stabbed his brother and took a woman hostage, his car plowed into a Melbourne shopping center, killing six people.
after mass shooting In 1996, after 35 people were killed in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur, lawmakers tightened gun restrictions and standardized laws across the country.
“This kind of thing shouldn’t happen in this country” Mr Dunkley said. “People come here because it’s safe.”
