Sydney stabbing live: ‘Baby among injured’ as suspect dead and five killed in mall spree

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the attack as one of “shocking violence” and praised the lone officer who shot the suspect.

“The bravery of the police officer, who entered the proceedings that were taking place – obviously very dangerous – by herself, she is certainly a hero.

“There is no doubt she saved lives through her action and it is a reminder that those people who wear uniform are people who rush to danger, not away from it and I give thanks to every one of them for the actions they have taken up to now.”

He added: “To any Australian affected by this tragedy, every Australian is with you.”

Assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke said the female inspector who shot the attacker had acted to save lives.

“This all happened very, very quickly – the officer that was in the vicinity attended on her own, was guided to the location of the offender by people who were in the centre.

“She took the actions that she did saving a range of people’s lives; an inspector, a senior police officer – she was on her own. She engaged immediately on her arrival to the scene.”

One eyewitness told Reuters news agency that they saw someone lying down injured and were looking to see what was going on.

“Then we saw all these people running towards us and then we heard a shot and my husband dragged us into the Adairs shop and then we got the lady there trying to lock the doors and then she couldn’t lock the front door so we went in the office which was all locked and then we were in there until the police came to get us.”

Five people and a suspect were killed in a Sydney shopping center stabbing attack on Saturday that left multiple people, including a small child, injured, police said.

A single person began stabbing people in the mall, attacking nine people, before a police inspector shot him, Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke told reporters. Five victims died, he said.

Cooke said the suspect acted alone and there was “no continuing threat.” He said officials didn’t know who the offender was yet, and there was no indication of motivation.

“This is quite raw,” he said.

A New South Wales Ambulance spokesperson told Reuters that eight people, including a child, had been taken to hospital.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from the shopping centre after the incident, news site news.com.au reported.

An eyewitness told state broadcaster ABC the attacker had been shot by a police officer.

“If she did not shoot him, he would have kept going, he was on the rampage,” said the main, who did not give his name. “She went over and was giving him CPR. He had a nice big blade on him. He looked like he was on a killing spree.”

A nine-month-old baby is reportedly among those injured in the stabbing attack, with multiple other casualties being taken to nearby Sydney hospitals.

Police said a male was shot at the scene of the attack, but it is unclear if the deall toll of four includes the suspected attacker.

A motive for the attack has not yet been established and the shopping mall remains under a lockdown, with heavily armed tactical response teams still securing the building.

Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has extended his sympathies to the victims of the attack and all those affected by the incident.

On X, he wrote: “I have been briefed by the AFP on the devastating events at Bondi Junction.

“Tragically, multiple casualties have been reported and the first thoughts of all Australians are with those affected and their loved ones.

“Our hearts go out to those injured and we offer our thanks to those caring for them as well as our brave police and first responders.”

Witness Roi Huberman, an ABC sound engineer, told the network that he sheltered in a store during the incident.

“And suddenly we heard a shot or maybe two shots and we didn’t know what to do,” he said. “Then the very capable person in the store took us to the back where it can be locked. She then locked the store and then she then let us through the back and now we are out.”