Australia: at least six dead in Sydney knife attack

A knife attack left six people dead and several injured, including a baby. of 9 months, Saturday in a crowded shopping center from Sydney, saidé the Australian police, who did not rule out the "terrorist" trail.

New South Wales state police official Karen Webb said there were five women and one man. A nine-month-old baby, injured, had to undergo emergency surgery.

The attacker, unidentified, was pursued and shot dead by a police officer hailed for her heroism.

Eight injured people, including the baby, were taken to hospital. “They all have traumatic injuries,” said the New South Wales state emergency services spokesperson.

The reason for the aggression was not immediately specified, but Mr. Cooke affirmed that the “terrorist” trail could not be ruled out at this stage.

Police officers patrol outside the Sydney shopping center where a stabbing attack was carried out on April 13, 2024 © AFP – David GRAY

“I don't yet know who he is (the assailant, Editor's note). You will understand that this is a very complex case. 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.

The assailant appears to have acted alone, Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese said during of a press conference. “For all of us this evening, the appalling scenes at Bondi Junction are beyond words and beyond comprehension,” he added.

Rescuers bring stretchers and medical equipment outside the Sydney shopping center where a stabbing attack was carried out on April 13, 2024 © AFP – David GRAY

Mr. Albanese paid tribute to the bravery of passers-by who helped each other and the police officer who intervened in defiance of danger. “She is certainly a hero. She has undoubtedly saved lives by doing so,” he said.

Surveillance camera footage broadcast by Australian media showed a man with a large knife running through the mall, and injured people lying on the ground.

– “It was scary” –

Deadly attack in Sydney © AFP – John SAEKI

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. “It was scary, there were people crying,” she told AFP.

She then escaped through an exit relief with other customers and employees, overlooking a street in the back. “I am alive and grateful,” she said.

Other witnesses told AFP that there had been a panic, people seeking shelter while police attempted to secure the area.

Around 4:00 p.m. local time (06:00 GMT), Reece Colmenares went 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.

“They took us down (into a room) and closed the store,” she told AFP. “It's scary, there were little kids, old people and people in wheelchairs.”

A Sydney nurse says she parked her car and then ” heard someone shouting to run”.

Police officers enter the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center in Sydney where the stabbing took place, April 13, 2024 © AFP – David GRAY

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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