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Counter-terrorism police investigate fatal stabbing at Queanbeyan service station Counter-terrorism police investigate fatal stabbing at Queanbeyan service station
(about 2 hours later)
Counter-terrorism police have been brought in to investigate the fatal stabbing of a Queanbeyan service station worker overnight. Evidence at the scene of a fatal stabbing in a Queanbeyan service station suggests the incident was linked to terrorism, deputy New South Wales police commissioner Catherine Burn has said.
Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 16, have been arrested over the incident. Speaking at a press conference in Sydney on Friday, Burn said the joint counter-terrorism team was called in to lead the investigation into the murder and that two teenage boys had been arrested.
The 29-year-old attendant was found with stab wounds by a fellow employee at the Caltex service station on Bungendore Road, Queanbeyan, close to midnight on Thursday, and died at the scene. The victim, a 29-year-old man who worked at the service station, died after suffering what Burn described as a “brutal attack” just before midnight on Thursday.
The New South Wales joint counter terrorism team was investigating, a NSW police spokesman said on Friday. No further comment was being made at this stage, he said.
Earlier, NSW superintendent Rod Smith from Monaro local area command said it was believed the boys had allegedly stabbed a second man in a Queanbeyan street about 6.20am before fleeing in a silver Ford Falcon.
That victim was taken to Canberra hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The teenagers were arrested soon after in the Australian Capital Territory following a police pursuit.
NSW police were seeking to extradite the boys from the ACT.
“It doesn’t get more serious than this ... an absolute horrific series of events, and we would just like to reassure everybody that there are two people that we believe are involved, and both of those people are in police custody,” Smith said.
The pair was also allegedly involved in other incidents on Thursday night, including an aggravated break and enter in which a man was bashed with a tyre iron, the assault of a man with a beer bottle in a park and another possible attempted robbery across the border in the ACT, Smith said.
It is believed the teenagers became locked in the Queanbeyan service station after the alleged fatal stabbing, but smashed their way out and fled with the cash register.It is believed the teenagers became locked in the Queanbeyan service station after the alleged fatal stabbing, but smashed their way out and fled with the cash register.
Several hours later, at 6.20am, another man was stabbed in Queanbeyan.
Police allege two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, were responsible for both attacks as well as two earlier, non life-threatening assaults committed on Thursday night. Both were known to police.
The boys were arrested just inside the Australian Capital Territory border on Friday after being chased by police from Queanbeyan, which is 17km from Canberra. They have been placed in custody in the ACT but have not yet been charged.
Burn said it appeared the 16-year-old boy had links to terrorism.
“From the sources of information, it appears at this stage that there may be links to a modus operandi that we would suggest is indicative of a terrorist attack, inspired or otherwise, and the information at this stage is we’re focusing on one of them, not both.
“But information is still early and something might come out as we further investigate,” she said.
However, she said there was no information suggesting a terrorist attack was imminent, nor any suggestion there was an ongoing threat.
“There was physical evidence at the scene which does go to our view that this might be an act of terrorism,” she said.
“However I can’t go into the details clearly of the evidence. These people have not been charged, they are juveniles, and it is still in an investigative stage, but there was physical evidence.”
Earlier, NSW superintendent Rod Smith from Monaro local area command said the man stabbed in the second alleged attack on Friday morning was in a Canberra hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“It doesn’t get more serious than this ... an absolute horrific series of events, and we would just like to reassure everybody that there are two people that we believe are involved, and both of those people are in police custody,” Smith said.
The pair were also allegedly involved in other incidents on Thursday night, including an aggravated break and enter in which a man was bashed with a tyre iron, the assault of a man with a beer bottle in a park and another possible attempted robbery across the border in the ACT, Smith said.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, sent condolences to the family of the dead man. The involvement of teenagers in the alleged crime was “shocking”, he said, and “underlines many of the concerns we have raised in this field”.Speaking to reporters in Canberra, the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, sent condolences to the family of the dead man. The involvement of teenagers in the alleged crime was “shocking”, he said, and “underlines many of the concerns we have raised in this field”.