In a horrifying act of violence, six people were killed and eight others injured in a stabbing rampage at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction, Sydney, on Saturday afternoon. The suspect, a 40-year-old man known to police, was fatally shot by a lone police officer who confronted him during the attack.
The victims, five women and one man, were stabbed to death by the suspect as he moved through the busy six-level shopping center. An additional woman later died at the hospital from her injuries. Among the eight injured was a 9-month-old infant who underwent surgery for stab wounds.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb confirmed that the suspect was known to police but did not provide further details on his identity. She stated that the motive behind the attack was still unknown and that police do not believe the suspect was "holding an ideation," indicating that it was not being treated as a terrorism incident.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, calling the attack a "horrific act of violence indiscriminately targeted at the innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday, doing their shopping." He praised the quick response of first responders and the heroism of everyday Australians who faced the unimaginable situation.
Witnesses at the scene described the chaos and terror as the attack unfolded. Reese Colmenares, who hid in a hardware store with 20 others, including a mother and her injured baby, said, "The mother was terrified, the mother was sad, just holding (and) comforting the baby." Other witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing a woman lying on the ground.
The police officer who confronted and shot the suspect has been hailed as a hero for her bravery. New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke described the incident, saying, "She confronted the offender who had moved by this stage to level five [of the mall] 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."
As the investigation into the attack continues, Commissioner Webb assured the public that there is no ongoing risk and that the crime scene will remain active for several days. The Australian Federal Police has not declared the incident an act of terror, but speculation about the motive remains ongoing.
