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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/09/melbourne-bourke-street-attack-dead-injured-man-arrested-stabbings
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| Bourke Street attack: one dead, two injured in Melbourne stabbing attack | Bourke Street attack: one dead, two injured in Melbourne stabbing attack |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| One person has been stabbed to death, two have been injured, and another man has been shot by police in terrifying scenes on Melbourne’s Bourke Street on Friday. | One person has been stabbed to death, two have been injured, and another man has been shot by police in terrifying scenes on Melbourne’s Bourke Street on Friday. |
| Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and saw a car bust into flames outside Target on Bourke Street, between Swanston and Russell Streets, about 4.20pm. | Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and saw a car bust into flames outside Target on Bourke Street, between Swanston and Russell Streets, about 4.20pm. |
| Superintendent David Clayton told reporters at a media conference that police were called to reports of a car fire and were “confronted by a man brandishing a knife and threatening them”. | Superintendent David Clayton told reporters at a media conference that police were called to reports of a car fire and were “confronted by a man brandishing a knife and threatening them”. |
| “At the same time, passers-by were calling out that members of the public had been stabbed,” Clayton said. “Police shot the male in the chest and he is now in a critical condition under guard in hospital. | “At the same time, passers-by were calling out that members of the public had been stabbed,” Clayton said. “Police shot the male in the chest and he is now in a critical condition under guard in hospital. |
| “Three people have been stabbed, unfortunately one is deceased at the scene, two other victims are currently in hospital.” | “Three people have been stabbed, unfortunately one is deceased at the scene, two other victims are currently in hospital.” |
| The condition of the other two victims was not yet known. The police offices were not injured. | The condition of the other two victims was not yet known. The police offices were not injured. |
| Video footage circulating on social media showed a man advancing toward police and attempting to stab them, and then falling backwards after what sounded like a gunshot. One of the police officers had their weapon drawn. | Video footage circulating on social media showed a man advancing toward police and attempting to stab them, and then falling backwards after what sounded like a gunshot. One of the police officers had their weapon drawn. |
| The altercation was filmed by several bystanders at the scene from multiple angles. | The altercation was filmed by several bystanders at the scene from multiple angles. |
| Aaksh Verma gave a statement to police after witnessing the incident unfold. He was working when he heard a bang. He went outside and said he saw a ute in flames rolling diagnoally towards Target. Then he saw police pull up. “A black guy came towards the cops as the cops were staying inside the car,” Verma said. | |
| “I’m not sure if he opened the door or if the cop opened the door.” | |
| Once the door of the car was open and while the police officer was still sitting down, the man began stabbing him with something sharp, Verma said. He was not sure if the man made contact with the police officer, or if the police officer’s vest prevented him from being stabbed. | |
| The police officer’s partner got out from the other side of the vehicle and came around to intervene. | |
| “He [the man] backed off.” | |
| Both police attempted to use pepper spray and to taser the guy but it didn’t seem to have any effect, Verma said. | |
| “The person didn’t look like he wanted to run away, he wanted to stay and fight,” Verma said. “He was saying nothing. He had like a million chances to run away, there are many laneways.” | |
| Verma said bystanders then attempted to help while the police waited for backup, one armed with a trolley and another armed with a chair. | |
| Clayton said police were not looking for any other suspects connected with the incident, and there was “no known link to terrorism at this stage”. | Clayton said police were not looking for any other suspects connected with the incident, and there was “no known link to terrorism at this stage”. |
| “We will keep an open mind as to whether there is any link, it’s very early stages in the investigation,” he said. | “We will keep an open mind as to whether there is any link, it’s very early stages in the investigation,” he said. |
| The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, urged people to avoid the area. | The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, urged people to avoid the area. |
| “There’s been an incident in the CBD near Bourke St,” he tweeted. “Details are still unclear – but please avoid the area and always follow the instructions of emergency services personnel.” | “There’s been an incident in the CBD near Bourke St,” he tweeted. “Details are still unclear – but please avoid the area and always follow the instructions of emergency services personnel.” |
| The incident comes two days after the trial for Melbourne man James Gargasoulas, who has pleaded not guilty to 33 charges including six counts of murder for a deadly incident on 20 January, 2017, when he allegedly drove a car through pedestrians along Bourke Street mall and killed six people. | The incident comes two days after the trial for Melbourne man James Gargasoulas, who has pleaded not guilty to 33 charges including six counts of murder for a deadly incident on 20 January, 2017, when he allegedly drove a car through pedestrians along Bourke Street mall and killed six people. |
| Cars are not allowed in the part of the street where the incident occurred, and the area has been further protected by concrete bollards since the January 2017 tragedy. However there is access for police cars, trams and garbage trucks. | Cars are not allowed in the part of the street where the incident occurred, and the area has been further protected by concrete bollards since the January 2017 tragedy. However there is access for police cars, trams and garbage trucks. |
| Witnesses said police were at the scene within minutes. | Witnesses said police were at the scene within minutes. |
| Neil McKeller, who works at Hylands Bookshop on Bourke Street, told Guardian Australia he heard a loud explosion and then gunshots. | Neil McKeller, who works at Hylands Bookshop on Bourke Street, told Guardian Australia he heard a loud explosion and then gunshots. |
| “We heard the explosion, and we heard gunshots later,” McKellar said. “We heard it but we didn’t know what it was.” | “We heard the explosion, and we heard gunshots later,” McKellar said. “We heard it but we didn’t know what it was.” |
| The buildings surrounding the incident were put into lockdown, and police blocked off sections of Bourke and Swanston streets. Trams on both streets were also halted. | The buildings surrounding the incident were put into lockdown, and police blocked off sections of Bourke and Swanston streets. Trams on both streets were also halted. |
| Witness Meegan May was travelling on a tram when the incident occurred. | Witness Meegan May was travelling on a tram when the incident occurred. |
| “A couple of people on the trams were saying someone had a knife and when I got up and looked through the rear window,” she told the ABC. “I could see a big ute on fire driving across the road. | “A couple of people on the trams were saying someone had a knife and when I got up and looked through the rear window,” she told the ABC. “I could see a big ute on fire driving across the road. |
| “It sort of came to a stop on the other side, and then I could see a man and two police sort of trying to calm him down. He was waving his arms around, someone was saying he had a knife – I couldn’t tell from where I was. | “It sort of came to a stop on the other side, and then I could see a man and two police sort of trying to calm him down. He was waving his arms around, someone was saying he had a knife – I couldn’t tell from where I was. |
| “And then not too long after that, I heard a loud bang that sounded a bit like a gunshot, nothing like an explosion, and then a person near me said they could see someone giving someone chest expressions and an ambulance and 50 cop cars came out of nowhere not long after that.” | “And then not too long after that, I heard a loud bang that sounded a bit like a gunshot, nothing like an explosion, and then a person near me said they could see someone giving someone chest expressions and an ambulance and 50 cop cars came out of nowhere not long after that.” |
| Police have asked all witnesses and anyone with video footage to send it to them via a link on the Victoria Police facebook page. | Police have asked all witnesses and anyone with video footage to send it to them via a link on the Victoria Police facebook page. |
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