Sydney shopping centre attack leaves 6 dead

A man used a knife to attack people at a busy shopping centre in Australia’s Sydney before being shot dead by police, leaving at least six people dead and several others injured, reports Al Jazeera.

Anthony Cooke, New South Wales police assistant commissioner, told a news conference on Saturday that the unidentified suspect was killed by a police officer responding to the scene at the Westfield Bondi Junction mall complex.

Eight people, including a nine-month-old baby and her mother, were rushed to hospital following the attack that took place as the sprawling shopping centre was packed with people. Police said some of them were in a serious or critical condition.

Local media reported that hundreds of people were evacuated, with broadcast footage showing police locking down the scene and assisting the injured.

The motive was not immediately clear. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said later on Saturday that speculation “would be unhelpful at this time, we should allow the investigators to go about their work”.

Speaking at a news conference in Canberra, Albanese said the attack was “beyond words or understanding”.

“This was a horrific act of violence, indiscriminately targeting innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday doing their shopping,” he said.

“Preliminary investigations show this person has acted alone. I am content that there is no continuing threat,” Cooke said.

Such attacks are rare in Australia, which has some of the world’s toughest gun and knife laws.