The man who fatally stabbed six bystanders before being shot dead by a hero officer in a busy shopping center acted alone in what appears to be a random attack.
Five women and a man died in the terrifying rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney’s east on Saturday.
Eight other people were rushed to hospital with stab wounds, including a nine-month-old baby.
A female police inspector stood alone and shot dead the knife-wielding man, who was wearing an Australian Kangaroos rugby league shirt.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb revealed on Saturday night that the dark-haired, bearded man, aged 40, was known to authorities.
Police have yet to formally identify the 40-year-old man who stabbed six people to death before being shot dead.
The incident has been ruled out as being related to terrorism. Pictured is New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb addressing the media.
“We are waiting to formally identify him and cannot yet speculate on his identification,” he said.
“But let me assure you that we are confident that there is no ongoing risk and that we are dealing with a person who has already died.”
Police have not yet determined the motive, but a terrorist incident has been ruled out.
“We know little about this person, but we are waiting to confirm his identification,” Commissioner Webb said.
‘And if in fact it is the person we think it is, then we do not fear for that person who has an idea.
“In other words, this is not a terrorist incident.”
Six shoppers were stabbed to death, including the 38-year-old mother of a baby, who was also injured.
Eight others remain hospitalized in various conditions.
The mall has been closed and will remain closed on Sunday.
Witnesses say the bearded, dark-haired man, wearing an ARL Kangaroos t-shirt, chased and slashed at shoppers while going on a wild rampage throughout the centre.
Police have confirmed that 40 was known to authorities.
Shocked spectators remembered the officer’s heroic actions.
‘All he said was ‘Leave it.’ Just once,” Jason Dixon told reporters.
Then she shot him in the chest and he fell.
“Then when he fell to the ground, she was giving him CPR.”
Hussein Osseili described how he was in Westfield with his six-year-old sister and grandmother when he heard gunshots and immediately knew what it was.
‘I just thought I had to get my family safe. I told them to leave,” he told WhatsNew2Day Australia.
‘Then I saw a man with a large hunting knife, about 30cm long, on the escalator in front of Woolies.
‘It was PST Zara and KMart, he was brandishing the knife and stabbing people. It went to level 5 and then I heard more police shots. Luckily, my whole family is safe.”
Westfield Bondi Junction was closed after the incident and is expected to remain closed for days.
Bondi Rescue star Andrew Reid was also among the spectators who rushed to help the injured.
“There was a lady… and there was blood everywhere,” Reid told Nine News.
“I realized I had to go help because that’s what we’re trained to do as lifeguards.”
He and two other members of the public gave first aid to the woman, along with police officers.
“I’ve never seen so much blood… We were just looking for wounds, trying to stop the bleeding,” Reid said.
‘When I looked up, there were several victims, about 50 meters away. The lady next to us was very bad; there were other people working on it.’