2024-04-13 09:41:12
A knife attack left six dead and several injured on Saturday in a crowded shopping center in Sydney, Australia, a police official told the press, who did not rule out the “terrorist” possibility.
I am informed that five victims have died, said Anthony Cooke, deputy commissioner of the New South Wales state police.
This attack also left several injured, eight of whom, including a child, were transported to hospital. They all have traumatic injuries, said the New South Wales state emergency services spokesperson.
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At least eight people were injured in the attack, including a child
Photo : Reuters
The motive for the attack was not immediately specified, but Mr. Cooke said that the possibility of terrorism could not be ruled out at this stage.
I don’t know who he is yet [l’assaillant, NDLR]. You will understand that this is a very complex matter. The investigations are very recent and we continue to try to identify the culprit, he added.
The tragedy occurred at the sprawling Westfield Bondi Junction shopping complex, which was packed with shoppers on Saturday afternoon. The scene was cordoned off by police who called on the population to avoid the area.
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The suspect was shot dead by the police, numerous local media reported.
Photo : Reuters
The assailant appears to have acted alone, Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese said at a news conference. For all of us this evening, the appalling scenes at Bondi Junction are beyond words and comprehension, he added.
Surveillance camera footage broadcast by Australian media showed a man with a large knife running through the shopping center, and injured people lying on the ground.
Testimonials
Pranjul Bokaria was leaving work and doing some shopping when the attack took place. She ran to a nearby store and took refuge in a break room.
I am alive and grateful, she said.
Around 4 p.m. local time (2 a.m. EDT), Reece Colmenares was on her way to the gym when she saw people running and screaming that someone had been stabbed. She then took refuge in a hardware store with 10 to 12 other people.
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As night fell, dozens of police and ambulances were still outside the mall
Photo : Getty Images / Lisa Maree Williams
A Sydney nurse says she parked her car and then heard someone yelling to run.
Several people took refuge in a supermarket, where they stayed for about an hour.
As night fell, dozens of police and ambulances were still outside the mall, stretchers ready to transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
This type of attack is extremely rare in Australia. In November 2018, an individual armed with a knife killed one person and injured two others on a Melbourne street before being shot dead by police. The crime was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.
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