A knife attack left six dead and several injured, including a 9-month-old baby, on Saturday in a crowded Sydney shopping center, said Australian police, who did not rule out the possibility. “terrorist”.
A New South Wales state police official, Karen Webb, said there were five women and one man. An injured nine-month-old baby required emergency surgery.
The attacker, unidentified, was chased and killed by a police officer hailed for her heroism.
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Eight injured people, including the baby, were taken to hospital. “They all have traumatic injuries”said the spokesperson for the New South Wales state emergency services.
Track “terrorist”
The motive for the attack was not immediately clear, but Mr. Cooke said the trail “terrorist” could not be ruled out at this stage.
“I don’t yet know who he is (the attacker, Editor’s note). 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.
The attacker 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 beyond comprehension”he added.
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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 undoubtedly saved lives by doing so”did he declare.
King Charles III, British sovereign but also head of state of Australia, said in a statement “horrified” by this aggression “insane”.
Pope Francis was “deeply saddened” by the attack “insane”.
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.
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.
