Sydney police say 6 dead after shopping mall stabbings

Police say five people have been stabbed to death by an attacker at a Sydney shopping center. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the premises following the attacks

Australian police say five people have been killed in stabbing attacks at a Sydney shopping mall, with the suspected attacker also shot dead by police.

The incidents occurred at the Westfield Bondi Junction mall complex, with hundreds told to evacuate the area.

What do we know so far?

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.

Police said the suspect in the attack acted alone, after initial reports suggested there might have been two perpetrators.

An ambulance service spokesperson told Reuters news agency that eight people, including a child, had been taken to hospital with injuries.

Emergency services were called to the mall just before 4 p.m. (0600 GMT) following the reports of the stabbings, police in the state of New South Wales said in a statement.

Several social media posts showed crowds fleeing the mall and police cars and emergency services rushing to the area.

Police have said they are not ruling out terrorism as a possible motive.

tj/ (Reuters, AFP, AP)