Panic sparked at Bondi Junction Westfield, a six-level shopping centre in Sydney at 1600 hours (local time) when multiple cases of stabbing and then shooting of a man were reported in the mall. As per the local media, six have been found dead till now including a woman and her child.
Motive remains unknown
The motive of the killer is not known yet. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anthony Cooke said no clear motive of the stabber has emerged, the combing is in process and from the preliminary inquiries, it looks like this person acted alone. He also added that he is content that there would be no continuing threat.
Officers enter Bondi Junction, guns drawn. pic.twitter.com/Sw0GLdd2A3
— Tamsin Rose (@tamsinroses) April 13, 2024
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Disturbing! Terrifying!
For those who were present in the shopping centre, it was a harrowing experience. Narrating the incident, a local woman said, “We had to run and hide in a location on the floor which turned out to be a storeroom. There would have been about 70 or 80 of us in there. We were told to keep our phones on silent and stay quiet. It was very hot in there.”
She added that there was a bit of confusion throughout the hour when they were hiding as there were orders to evacuate due to the incident and then there were orders that asked them to stay wherever they are and be protected.
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Several injured localites have been taken to the nearby hospitals for medical treatment which suggests that the death toll is likely to increase.
How the killer was gunned down
ACP Cooke has confirmed that among the six dead (as of now) is the killer himself who was neutralized by a nearby police officer. “She confronted the offender who had moved by this stage to level five [of the mall] as she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him. He turned, faced her, and raised a knife. She discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased.”
