Six people killed after being stabbed at Sydney shopping centre before man shot dead by police

'He looked like he was on a killing spree," one witness said

Six people have been killed - and a number of others are in critical condition - after being stabbed in a Sydney shopping centre, police have said.

A man in his 40s was shot dead by police near Australia’s Bondi beach following the horror. The attack was not thought to be terror related.

Australian media initially said four people had died and more had been injured by a man knifing people at the Westfield Bondi Junction centre in Sydney.

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New South Wales Police later confirmed five were dead. In another update, ambulance bosses said it was six. A spokesman for New South Wales Ambulance told a press conference: “Shortly after 3pm today, New South Wales Ambulance received multiple calls for persons stabbed within Westfield Bondi Junction.

“We’ve responded a total of 40 resources to the scene who remain on scene still. That included a total of four medical teams.

“New South Wales Ambulance assessed and transported eight patients to various hospital facilities across Sydney and assessed a total of six patients who have been deemed deceased on scene.”

Cops earlier said in a statement: “A critical incident has commenced following the shooting of a male at Bondi Junction. Just before 4pm, emergency services were called to Westfield Bondi Junction following reports of multiple people stabbed.”

News website news.com.au reported witnesses claiming a man began stabbing shoppers at random before being shot by police. The Australian website reported that a nine-month-old baby was among those who were stabbed.

A shopper at the mall near Australia’s Bondi beach where several people were stabbed said she thought she was “going to die”.

The unnamed shopper told ABC News: “I was hiding in the backroom. I was hearing gunshots. It’s just the worst thing ever, who does that to people? I saw a woman lying on the floor in Chanel.

“I didn’t see him properly, I was running. It’s just insanity – I wasn’t expecting it. I thought I was going to die. Every moment was playing through my head, I was so scared.”

Roi Huberman told ABC News Australia: “I was in the changing rooms of a jeans shop, we heard two shots, at first we couldn’t work out what was going on. Then the person at the store said it sounds like shots, so she took us to the back where they can lock it from the inside.

“Then we heard fire alarm; there were some people stuck in the changing rooms so we opened the door and got them as well, then she [a store worker] led us through the back door.

“We came back into Oxford Street, then we saw about 10 ambulances, about eight police cars, riot police, helicopters hovering from above.

“I saw people, after a few minutes, people running away – some young women were crying and they were saying that they spoke to a little girl who saw a dead body, then I saw people running across Oxford Street and the police came and cordoned it off.

“At one stage I spoke to a guy that had a photo of a police woman over the body of someone and apparently the guy was wielding either a machete or knife; think he’s wounded some people and then the police woman shot him twice – and these are probably the shots that we heard.”

A shopper a said the attacker was “on a killing spree”. The shopper, who was not named, told ABC News: “He just started floating towards us and all I heard was ‘put it down’ and then she shot him.

“But we were in no doubt, if she didn’t shoot him, he would have kept going. He was on the rampage. Then she walked over and gave him CPR. He had a big blade on him – she chucked the knife away.

“He looked like he was on a killing spree.”

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter: “I have been briefed by the AFP (Australian Federal Police) on the devastating events at Bondi Junction.

“Tragically, multiple casualties have been reported and the first thoughts of all Australians are with those affected and their loved ones. Our hearts go out to those injured and we offer our thanks to those caring for them as well as our brave police and first responders.”