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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Sydney stabbing: Typical Saturday of shopping at Westfield turns to horror | Sydney stabbing: Typical Saturday of shopping at Westfield turns to horror |
| (2 days later) | |
| The attack on Saturday has left Australia in shock | The attack on Saturday has left Australia in shock |
| Westfield Bondi Junction looked exactly like it usually does on a Saturday afternoon. | Westfield Bondi Junction looked exactly like it usually does on a Saturday afternoon. |
| Hundreds of people crammed into the centre - packs of teenagers, parents with grumbling kids, and weary customers sneaking a caffeine hit between shops. | Hundreds of people crammed into the centre - packs of teenagers, parents with grumbling kids, and weary customers sneaking a caffeine hit between shops. |
| Just minutes from Sydney's famous Bondi Beach, this is one of the most popular shopping centres in the country - and it is so big it even has its own train station. | Just minutes from Sydney's famous Bondi Beach, this is one of the most popular shopping centres in the country - and it is so big it even has its own train station. |
| But just after 15:00 local time, it turned into a horror scene. | But just after 15:00 local time, it turned into a horror scene. |
| Shoppers looked on helplessly as a mother tried to shield her infant from a knife-wielding man. Some ran for their lives, screaming and crying - others hid in change rooms. Blood-soaked bodies lay on the ground outside luxury stores. | Shoppers looked on helplessly as a mother tried to shield her infant from a knife-wielding man. Some ran for their lives, screaming and crying - others hid in change rooms. Blood-soaked bodies lay on the ground outside luxury stores. |
| A hero armed with a pole was captured on CCTV trying to bat away the assailant. | A hero armed with a pole was captured on CCTV trying to bat away the assailant. |
| Video shows Sydney stabbing attack suspect confronted in mall | Video shows Sydney stabbing attack suspect confronted in mall |
| Video shows Sydney stabbing attack suspect confronted in mall | Video shows Sydney stabbing attack suspect confronted in mall |
| Later, a lone cop stared down the knifeman and fired. | Later, a lone cop stared down the knifeman and fired. |
| At least six people - plus the attacker - are now dead. Eight were taken to hospital injured, including a nine-month-old baby. | At least six people - plus the attacker - are now dead. Eight were taken to hospital injured, including a nine-month-old baby. |
| Little else is known about the incident. Authorities say the 40-year-old killer was "known to police", but they haven't revealed a motive for the rampage - only indicating it was unlikely to have been terrorism. | Little else is known about the incident. Authorities say the 40-year-old killer was "known to police", but they haven't revealed a motive for the rampage - only indicating it was unlikely to have been terrorism. |
| Hours on, the flashing lights of ambulances illuminate crowds milling behind police tape, who are trying to make sense of what they've seen. | Hours on, the flashing lights of ambulances illuminate crowds milling behind police tape, who are trying to make sense of what they've seen. |
| A few people embrace. Some, through tears, tell journalists they thought they were going to die. Others silently sit on the sidewalk in shock. | A few people embrace. Some, through tears, tell journalists they thought they were going to die. Others silently sit on the sidewalk in shock. |
| Watch: Witnesses describe moment Sydney mall attack | Watch: Witnesses describe moment Sydney mall attack |
| Watch: Witnesses describe moment Sydney mall attack | Watch: Witnesses describe moment Sydney mall attack |
| There I find Johnny, 33, who tells me he was visiting from the Central Coast when he heard commotion outside the store he was shopping in. | There I find Johnny, 33, who tells me he was visiting from the Central Coast when he heard commotion outside the store he was shopping in. |
| When he turned to look, he saw a woman and her baby being attacked. | When he turned to look, he saw a woman and her baby being attacked. |
| "She was getting stabbed. Everyone was in shock and didn't know what to do," he says, eyes wide. | "She was getting stabbed. Everyone was in shock and didn't know what to do," he says, eyes wide. |
| Nearby he thought he could make out another body on the ground. | Nearby he thought he could make out another body on the ground. |
| The woman managed to make a run for the Tommy Hilfiger store and once inside, staff quickly locked the doors, Johnny says. | The woman managed to make a run for the Tommy Hilfiger store and once inside, staff quickly locked the doors, Johnny says. |
| "Some of the other shoppers were using clothing and things to try and… stop the bleeding." | "Some of the other shoppers were using clothing and things to try and… stop the bleeding." |
| He says he thought he baby only had a minor wound, but authorities have since revealed that it has undergone surgery. | He says he thought he baby only had a minor wound, but authorities have since revealed that it has undergone surgery. |
| Johnny - who didn't give his surname - said the mother was in a bad way. | Johnny - who didn't give his surname - said the mother was in a bad way. |
| "There was a lot of blood and she was panicking." | "There was a lot of blood and she was panicking." |
| Several local media outlets have reported that she is among those who died. | Several local media outlets have reported that she is among those who died. |
| Another shopper, still shaky, tells me she came metres from the attacker, who was wearing an Australian national rugby league jersey, outside a Lululemon store. Huma Hussainy says the blade he wielded was at least the length of her forearm. | Another shopper, still shaky, tells me she came metres from the attacker, who was wearing an Australian national rugby league jersey, outside a Lululemon store. Huma Hussainy says the blade he wielded was at least the length of her forearm. |
| Behind him were two young women - teenagers, Ms Hussainy thinks - lying on the ground, surrounded by blood. | Behind him were two young women - teenagers, Ms Hussainy thinks - lying on the ground, surrounded by blood. |
| Ms Hussainy recounts seeing a lady trying to rouse one of them, but the young woman was not moving. | Ms Hussainy recounts seeing a lady trying to rouse one of them, but the young woman was not moving. |
| Ms Hussainy and Mohamad Naveed say they are traumatised | Ms Hussainy and Mohamad Naveed say they are traumatised |
| Leaping into action, Ms Hussainy grabbed her partner and hid in a changeroom. For 45 minutes they sat petrified, and their terror reached new heights when they heard a gunshot ring out. | Leaping into action, Ms Hussainy grabbed her partner and hid in a changeroom. For 45 minutes they sat petrified, and their terror reached new heights when they heard a gunshot ring out. |
| "I thought this guy not only has a knife, he has a gun as well." | "I thought this guy not only has a knife, he has a gun as well." |
| But the shot was actually from a lone officer who had stopped the killer. She reportedly yelled "put it down" before he lunged at her and she fired. | But the shot was actually from a lone officer who had stopped the killer. She reportedly yelled "put it down" before he lunged at her and she fired. |
| Video of the aftermath shows her giving him CPR. | Video of the aftermath shows her giving him CPR. |
| It is not the only display of bravery that eyewitnesses have recounted. | It is not the only display of bravery that eyewitnesses have recounted. |
| Rashdan Aqashah, who works at the centre, details a moment where a man holding a bollard tries to slow the assailant. | Rashdan Aqashah, who works at the centre, details a moment where a man holding a bollard tries to slow the assailant. |
| "I saw this one guy fighting with the killer. He was holding the pole, trying to throw a pole at the escalator," the 19-year-old tells the BBC. "It was just in front of our store." | "I saw this one guy fighting with the killer. He was holding the pole, trying to throw a pole at the escalator," the 19-year-old tells the BBC. "It was just in front of our store." |
| Mr Aqashah says he managed to evacuate customers in his store calmly | Mr Aqashah says he managed to evacuate customers in his store calmly |
| The attack has sent shockwaves around Australia. | The attack has sent shockwaves around Australia. |
| Not since the 2017 Bourke Street attack - when James Gargasoulas mowed down and killed six people in a car at a busy public shopping strip - has Australia seen carnage like this. | Not since the 2017 Bourke Street attack - when James Gargasoulas mowed down and killed six people in a car at a busy public shopping strip - has Australia seen carnage like this. |
| In a sombre national address, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was "beyond words or understanding". | In a sombre national address, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was "beyond words or understanding". |
| "This was a horrific act of violence indiscriminately targeted at the innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday, doing their shopping." | "This was a horrific act of violence indiscriminately targeted at the innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday, doing their shopping." |
| I myself was among those at the shopping centre earlier today. A friend and I had popped to the Westfield for an afternoon of retail therapy. We left the centre at 15:19 - police say the stabbing began about 15:20. | I myself was among those at the shopping centre earlier today. A friend and I had popped to the Westfield for an afternoon of retail therapy. We left the centre at 15:19 - police say the stabbing began about 15:20. |
| Outside, I meet another woman, who was moments away from entering the shopping centre when she saw screaming crowds running away. | Outside, I meet another woman, who was moments away from entering the shopping centre when she saw screaming crowds running away. |
| The woman asks not to be named, but we talk about how chilling it is to have come so close to an incident like this. | The woman asks not to be named, but we talk about how chilling it is to have come so close to an incident like this. |
| "We live just there," her friend says, pointing to apartments less than 100 metres away. "We're here every day… it's so scary." | "We live just there," her friend says, pointing to apartments less than 100 metres away. "We're here every day… it's so scary." |
| "This just doesn't happen here." | "This just doesn't happen here." |
| Additional reporting by Katy Watson. | Additional reporting by Katy Watson. |
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| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Sydney attack | |
| Sydney | Sydney |
| Australia | Australia |