Police are investigating the life, background, and connections of a man responsible for the brutal murder of six people following a stabbing spree at Sydney’s bustling Bondi Junction Westfield on Saturday afternoon.
The 40-year-old suspect was killed in a confrontation with a senior police officer, sparking a frenzied mass evacuation. Among the victims were four women and one man who succumbed to their injuries at the scene, followed by another woman who tragically passed away in hospital, the ABC reports.
Eight injured victims, including a nine-month-old baby who underwent emergency surgery, remain under hospital care.
During the chaos, some shoppers took shelter in locked stores, while others hurried to leave. Eyewitnesses described a scene of panic and confusion as people realised the seriousness of what was happening.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb disclosed that while formal identification procedures are pending, authorities are confident of the suspect’s identity.
“We know a little bit about this person,” she said.
“If it is the person we believe it is, we don’t have fears for the person holding an ideation — in other words, that it’s not a terrorism incident.”
Commissioner Webb also noted his prior interactions with law enforcement and cited “elements” suggesting it was not terrorism-related.
Law enforcement authorities are now meticulously scrutinising the suspect’s background, residence, vehicle, and associates to glean further insights, dismissing any notion of specific targets.
Witnesses recalled the first signs of trouble as shoppers bolted in panic. Videos from the area show brave people confronting the knife-wielding suspect as he moved through different levels.
Some videos show frantic attempts to help the injured amid the sound of evacuation alarms echoing through the complex. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) are assisting state police with the investigation.
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw cautioned against premature speculation, emphasising the infancy of the investigation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the appalling scenes.
“This was a horrific act of violence indiscriminately targeted at innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday, doing their shopping,” he said.
Mr Albanese extended his deepest condolences to grieving families and loved ones, while highlighting the courage and bravery of the “hero” senior officer.
“Staff for whom this should have been a normal shift, shoppers peacefully going about their lives, and yet for these Australians, their first instinct in the face of danger was to help someone else.”
Commissioner Webb hailed the senior officer who shot dead the suspect as “extraordinarily courageous.”
“She’s doing well, under the circumstances,” the commissioner said.
“She would need to be interviewed formally. So we just talked about that she’s OK, her family is OK. She’s got everything she needs for the time being.”
