A devastating tragedy unfolded at a bustling Sydney shopping center, in Australia, on Saturday as a lone assailant stabbed six people to death before being fatally shot by police.
Amidst the chaos, hundreds fled the scene, many in tears, clutching their children. Eight individuals, including a 9-month-old baby, sustained injuries during the ordeal.
New South Wales police reported that the violent incident occurred at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction, located in the city's eastern suburbs near Bondi Beach.
While the perpetrator, believed to be a 40-year-old man, has yet to be formally identified, authorities clarified that they do not perceive the attack as terrorism-related.
According to New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke, the assailant was neutralized by a police inspector after brandishing a knife. The assault transpired around 3:10 p.m., prompting a swift response from law enforcement.
Tragically, six victims—five women and one man—succumbed to their injuries, alongside the perpetrator. Paramedics rendered aid to the attacker, but efforts were in vain. Meanwhile, eight wounded individuals received medical attention, with the baby undergoing surgery.
Footage circulated online depicts a bystander confronting the assailant on an escalator within the shopping center, wielding a makeshift barrier.
As pandemonium gripped the area, panicked bystanders evacuated the premises, with paramedics administering care on-site. The shopping center and its vicinity remain cordoned off as authorities piece together the unfolding events.
Expressing profound condolences, the British royal family conveyed their shock and sorrow over the senseless bloodshed.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla extended heartfelt sympathies to the affected families, while Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, conveyed solidarity with victims and gratitude to emergency responders.
Pope Francis also mourned the tragic loss, offering spiritual solace to those impacted and prayers for the deceased and injured.
A message of support was dispatched to Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state.
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