Several people have died in a stabbing attack at a shopping center in Sydney.

While near the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center in Sydney, police processed the scene following a brutal knife attack that occurred on April 13, 2024. According to reports, the attacker, who was responsible for the deaths of six people, was neutralized by a police officer in the coastal suburb of Bondi. During the attack, hundreds of people were forced to hastily evacuate the shopping fortress. In an official statement, security services reported that the police officer opened fire in response to the aggressive actions of the assailant, who targeted shoppers in the Westfield Bondi Junction center, drawing public attention and causing panic.

Of the six deceased, five were women, and eight injured individuals, including a nine-month-old baby, were taken to medical facilities with stab wounds, said New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb at a press conference. Currently, law enforcement does not consider the possibility that this attack was motivated by terrorism, Webb noted. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added that the reason for the actions of this individual has not yet been established. "This was a terrible act of violence, randomly affecting innocent citizens going about their usual Saturday shopping," he expressed his condolences at the briefing. "Right now, all Australians' thoughts are with the victims of this tragedy."

Australia is known for its strict laws regarding firearms and knives, so such incidents are quite rare there. Emergency services were called to the shopping center shortly before 4:00 PM (0600 GMT) following reports of a stabbing involving a bladed weapon.

A witness to the incident, 25-year-old Ayusha Singh, worked at a café inside the mall and witnessed the attack. He described how he saw a man with a knife chasing people, and then gunshots were heard when the police arrived on the scene.

“I saw a guy with a knife running around and chasing people.

Another witness reported seeing a woman lying on the ground and found shelter in a jewelry store. One of the bystanders, who wished to remain anonymous, described the situation with the police officer who opened fire on the attacker: "If she hadn't shot him, he would have continued to attack; he was in a rage. She approached and started giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He had a large knife; he looked like a person in a murderous frenzy."

Social media has been flooded with posts showing crowds of people leaving the mall as ambulances and security services rush to the scene. Police reported that the shopping center will remain closed on Sunday while an investigation is underway.