Darren Burnett of Master Meats recounts citizens arrest at Kawana

Praised as a local hero for his bravery, a Sunshine Coast butcher has lifted the lid on the moment he took down a man who allegedly stormed a shopping centre armed with scissors threatening to kill shoppers.

Praised as a local hero for his bravery, a Sunshine Coast butcher has lifted the lid on the moment he took down a man who allegedly stormed a shopping centre armed with scissors threatening to kill shoppers.

Darren Burnett, a local Sunshine Coast butcher, was working a normal shift at Master Meats at Kawana Shopping Centre on Friday May 31, when the terror unfolded.

His boss, Tony Harvey, said Mr Burnett was instrumental in the citizen arrest of Luke Linsley Thorpe.

“There was a lot of noise then people started running and someone yelled out he’s got a knife,” Mr Harvey said.

“Then there was a big rush of people headed up towards JB Hi-Fi.

“We put our knives away and ceased work.”

Then Mr Burnett joined another man of size, wearing high-vis, and headed off in the direction of an allegedly armed Thorpe.

Footage of the arrest shows two police officers and Mr Burnett pinning Thorpe to the ground outside the shopping centre.

Darren Burnett helped make a citizen arrest. Photo: Patrick Woods.

Despite this, Mr Burnett was adamant he wasn’t a hero.

“I didn’t even think about if I was going to be stabbed, I just jumped in,” he said.

“Someone had to help.

“I wasn’t trying to be a hero, I just wanted to help.”

Mr Burnett said he knew something wasn’t right when he saw security ushering shoppers to safety.

“Instead of trying to intervene they were more looking out for the customers and staff,” he said.

“I came out of the shop and I saw the lady from House (a kitchenware store) come out of the alleyway and she was white and violently shaking.

“She was on the phone to the police and I asked if she was alright and she asked me if he was still in the shop. She looked terrified.

“I reassured her that he wasn’t and then went outside to check out what was going on.”

The brave butcher armed himself with a trolley from Woolworths and headed outside to the shopping centre car park.

“I got outside and saw a struggle happening. Two blokes were grabbing him and trying to restrain him,” Mr Burnett said.

“So I ran through the carpark and got him (Thorpe) to the ground.

Luke Linsley Thorpe is arrested at Kawana Shopping World.

“There was a gentleman on his back and another elderly gentleman who was helping tagged out and I held his legs down.

“Next thing I know two coppers come flying through the car park then I turn around and the paddy wagon is there too.

“He (Thorpe) was struggling until police arrived then he just went limp and put his hands behind his back to be arrested.

The next day Mr Burnett went around to House to check on the lady who had allegedly been threatened by Thorpe.

Police alleged he stole scissors from the store and threatened to kill her and everyone in the shopping centre.

“The lady there told me the girls who were in on Friday had the day off Saturday to recover,” Mr Burnett said.

“She said apparently they’re doing alright considering what had gone on.

Mr Burnett said off the back of what happened in Bondi recently the incident was terrifying.

“Everyone still has that so fresh in their minds so it was pretty scary,” he said.

“Someone had to do something until police arrived.

Mr Burnett says he’s no hero, but the community think otherwise. Photo: Patrick Woods.

“It could have been much worse.”

Mr Harvey, the owner and manager of the butcher shop, said on Saturday they were busier than usual.

“All of the regulars and then some were coming in to thank Darren and check that he was okay after it all,” he said.

A Mirvac spokeswoman for the Kawana Shopping Centre said the safety of customers, retailers and staff is of the highest importance and they continue to work closely with the local police and retailers following the incident.

“Our Centre Management Team undertake intensive emergency management training including regular exercises and scenarios conducted throughout the centre,” she said.

“We will continue to work with our retailers for ongoing training on our emergency procedures and incident response plans.

“We will continue to review and update procedures as required.”