6 People Dead in Stabbing at Sydney Mall, Attacker Killed by Police

Australian police responded to a stabbing incident in which multiple people were attacked by an unidentified assailant. The assailant was subsequently tracked down and shot dead by a policewoman, hailed as a national hero for her actions. The motive behind the attack was not immediately clear.

New South Wales police commissioner Karen Webb reported that five women and one man had died in the attack. Additionally, a baby was undergoing emergency surgery. The attacker, believed to be a 40-year-old man known to law enforcement, has not been formally identified.

Webb downplayed suggestions of terrorism, stating that it is believed the attacker acted alone. Eight patients, including the baby, were taken to various hospitals across Sydney with traumatic injuries. Witness Ayush Singh recounted the terrifying scene at the center, where he saw people running and the attacker wielding a knife.

Singh helped two elderly women seek shelter in his café and heard gunshots before seeing the assailant on the ground. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the bravery of the civilians who assisted each other and the heroic actions of the policewoman. Eye-witnesses described chaotic scenes of people running, police intervention, and emotional vulnerability among the public.

The mall was locked down, and police advised people to avoid the area. Such attacks are rare in Australia, a country with relatively low rates of violent crime.