A stabbing incident inside a mall claimed the lives of about 5 people and injured others in Sydney, on Saturday, while the Australian police confirmed the death of the attacker.
Australian police explained that the attacker acted alone, noting that they do not yet know the motives behind the attack.
The attack also resulted in several people being injured, 8 of whom, including a child, were taken to hospital, most of whom were in serious or critical condition, according to what ambulance teams and New South Wales Police reported.
While a police official did not rule out the “terrorism hypothesis” behind the attack, according to what Agence France-Presse reported.
For his part, the Prime Minister confirmed Australia, Anthony AlbaneseThere were casualties and injuries in the stabbing incident that occurred in eastern Sydney.
Albanese added on the “X” platform: “Our hearts are with the injured. We extend our thanks to those who are caring for them, as well as our brave police, and the first responders” to the accident.
New South Wales Police said that emergency services were called to the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center shortly before 4 p.m. local time (0600 a.m. GMT), following reports of several people being injured in a stabbing incident.
The police statement added: “An appeal has been issued to avoid the area… Investigations into the incident are continuing, and there are no further details.”
Police closed the mall and called on residents to avoid the area.
The New South Wales State Ambulance Service told Agence France-Presse that police wanted a man believed to be one of the attackers.
An Australian news website reported earlier that hundreds were evacuated from a shopping center in Sydney after a suspected stabbing incident.
He stated that a major police operation was underway in the busy mall near Bondi Beach.
For its part, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that some people were trapped inside, after it reported that shots were fired.
Two eyewitnesses told Reuters that they heard gunfire. One of them added: “Twenty minutes after people left the mall, I saw people from the SWAT teams combing the surrounding streets.”
A witness reported seeing a woman on the ground taking shelter in a jewelry store.
Several posts on social media showed crowds fleeing the mall and police cars and emergency services rushing to the mall.
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