Multiple dead and more seriously injured in horror stabbing at Westfield Bondi Junction

Six people have been killed in a horror attack at Westfield in Sydney’s Bondi Junction. Warning: Graphic content.

A heroic mother who battled to save her nine-month-old baby’s life during the Westfield horror stabbing had died in hospital.

The horror unfolded at 3.20pm on Saturday afternoon in Sydney’s Bondi Junction when a man in an NRL jersey began stabbing shoppers at random, with five women and one man now confirmed dead. Multiple people were stabbed during the horror as panicked families ran for their lives, with eight people still in hospital. A police officer ended the knifeman’s reign of terror as she bravely took him on alone and shot him dead with a bullet to the chest.

The senior female officer was nearby at the time and bravely decided to take him on alone, stalking him through the mall before gunning him down. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb confirmed police believe the attacker is a 40-year-old man who is known to police, but is not believed to have any terrorist links and acted alone.

The nine-month-old baby on a stretcher. Picture: Supplied

news.com.au has obscured this image, which shows a body strewn across the floor outside Kmart.

Five people were confirmed dead at the scene, as well as the attacker, with a sixth victim later dying in hospital.

The sixth victim is the mother of the nine-month-old baby, with witnesses describing how the 38-year-old desperately battled to save her child despite her own injuries by stumbling towards other shoppers and handing the infant to them.

The baby is understood to have been stabbed and underwent surgery on Saturday evening after shoppers used clothes to stem the bleeding.

Cafe owner Michael Dunkley witnessed the moment the hero cop shot the attacker.

Mr Dunkley said the cop said “drop the knife” before the stabber lunged at her with a 15cm-long knife.

“She was put in a situation where she had to do it. She did it so calmly. She was amazing,” he told news.com.au.

Police were seen battling to save victims’ lives across multiple stores, with blood splattered throughout the once bustling mall.

Stories are already emerging of heroic Australians battling to take down the knifeman, with some throwing tables and chairs at him and astonishing footage emerging of one man taking him on with a bollard.

Terrified shoppers are seen at Bondi Junction after fleeing the scene. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)

The brave officer after she shot the suspect. Picture: X

She shot him dead after telling him to “drop the knife” - a request he ignored. Picture: X

The man, wearing a white T-shirt, approaches the attacker - a man wearing an Australian Rugby League team jersey - and attempts to stop him getting up an escalator. The footage then ends and it’s unclear what happened to the have-a-go-hero.

news.com.au’s reporter on the scene saw workers running out in floods of tears to meet scared loved ones, who had desperately waited outside for news while the mall remained in lockdown.

Footage from inside shows what appears to be a brave bystander trying to fend off the knifeman with a bollard.

A man is seen on an escalator brandishing a large knife. He is later seen on the floor.

One witness told news.com.au that they saw the bodies of two young people in front of the JD Sports store on level four, with videos emerging showing other victims sprawled on the ground in a nearby Zara.

The pair then saw the man in a green jersey down the escalators.

“This guy was out of his mind, properly on drugs. He was stumbling,” he said.

The pair said people began throwing bollards down from the level above to try and hit the stabber. They said two managed to hit him, with the stabber then running back up the escalators.

Tactical police are seen at Westfield as the horror unfolded. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)

Terry White worker Ayah Dahroug bravely told them and others to take shelter into the chemist, giving people crutches and walking sticks to arm themselves.

“The cops then came and just said everyone needs to go, leave everything,” she said.

Hundreds of people are on the streets of the eastern suburb CBD.

One text exchange reportedly between a young girl and her parent shows her describing hearing gunshots and taking cover inside David Jones.

A text between a young girl and her parent as she desperately tried to hide from the attacker.

The attacker is seen stalking through the packed Westfield armed with a knife.

Waverley Council said people should avoid any unnecessary travel to the Bondi Junction CBD.

Anthony Albanese has released a statement, explaining he has been briefed by the AFP on what he called 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,” he said. NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was making “immediate arrangements” to return to Sydney and said he was “horrified” by the events.

Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cook said in a press conference on Saturday night that terrorism was not being ruled out, but they were yet to establish a motive.

“From preliminary inquiries, it would appear that this person has acted alone. I am content that there is no continuing threat,” he said.

The Vignesh family described how they hid in a desperate attempt to save their kids.

Westfield salon owner Leanne Devine said her client’s husband George was on the way to pick her up and was trapped in the Myers changing room for two and a half hours with two of the stabbing victims.

Father Raja Vignesh was with his wife and his two children - aged six and 13 months old - when he said they saw a man with a “large beard” running down the escalator with a large knife.

Mr Vignesh said he saw people throwing tables at the man to try and stop the stabber.

The family rushed into the medical centre and were told to stay there by police. They were held there for an hour.

“We just told the kids, let’s compare it to a movie, it’s scary and will be over soon.”

Reese Colmenares was on her way to Fitness First when the incident occurred. “I saw a small baby being going into the ambulance,” she said.

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the AFP Commissioner, Reece Kershaw hold a press conference about the Bondi Massacre at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Westfield salon owner Leanne Devine said her client’s husband George was on the way to pick her up at the end of an appointment when the incident broke out.

Ms Devine said George ended up trapped in the Myers changing room for two and a half hours with two of the stabbing victims.

“He just tried his best to comfort them,” she said.

“He’s completely traumatised.”

Workers were told to “call a locksmith” by police if they had left their housekeys inside the stores when they fled, indicating the Westfield will be off limits for some time.

Originally published as Multiple dead and more seriously injured in horror stabbing at Westfield Bondi Junction