Sydney Mall Stabbings Leave 6 Dead, Police Shoot Attacker

Australian police responded to a stabbing incident where the motive behind the attack was not immediately clear. The unidentified assailant had stabbed multiple people and was subsequently tracked down and shot dead by a policewoman who was hailed as a national hero.

Five women and one man had tragically lost their lives, with a baby undergoing emergency surgery. The attacker, believed to be a 40-year-old man known to law enforcement, had not yet been formally identified.

The police commissioner downplayed the possibility of the attack being an act of terrorism, emphasizing that they believe the assailant acted alone. Eight patients were taken to various hospitals across Sydney, including the injured baby.

Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with people running and police swarming the area. Among the witnesses was Ayush Singh, who assisted elderly women in hiding inside his cafe and later described feeling scared and previously safe in Australia.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the courage displayed by strangers who helped each other and lauded the woman police inspector for her heroic actions in preventing further harm. The incident prompted a lockdown of the mall, with police urging people to avoid the area.

Such attacks are rare in Australia, a country known for its relatively low rates of violent crime.