Bourke St horror: Incredible footage shows moments before man shot following terror attack
A SURVIVOR of the Bourke St terror attack has told how he was stabbed in the head as he tried to help during yesterday’s horror. It comes as shocking new footage emerged, showing the moment police officers were forced to shoot the man behind the attack.
A SURVIVOR of the Bourke St terror attack has told how he was stabbed in the head as he tried to help during yesterday’s horror.
Rodney Patterson from Tasmania was walking with his wife Maree in the city when he got caught up in the violence.
MELBOURNE ICON’S TRAGIC FINAL MOMENTS
TROLLEY MAN ‘JUST FOLLOWING HIS INSTINCTS’
Do you know Hassan Khalif Shire Ali? Contact news@heraldsun.com.au
“Yesterday, whilst out with my wife Maree enjoying another great day in Melbourne, a city that we love, we were unfortunately caught up in the incident on Bourke St,” he said.
“I went to assist and whilst doing so received a knife wound to my head.”
Terry Coghlan of the South Launceston Football Club, where Rod was a former president, said the club was hopeful he would make a recovery.
A source close to police said there were a number of gas cylinders in the exploded car.
SHOCKING FOOTAGE EMERGES OF MOMENT POLICE SHOT JIHADI
Incredible new footage has emerged of the moment police were forced to shoot an armed man who launched a deadly attack in Melbourne’s CBD yesterday afternoon.
Video taken by a witness shows two police officers backing away from 30-year-old Hassan Khalif Shire Ali.
Car horns are blaring and people can be heard yelling “shoot him” as the officers back away from the knife-wielding man.
One officer then appears to pull out a weapon before the armed man lunges at him, swinging a large knife.
The other officer then appears to pull out a baton.
A gunshot can be heard and the armed offender falls to the ground with officers swarming around him.
The man then tries to get up before being tasered.
WARNING: THE VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT
POLICE RAID HOMES LINKED TO BOURKE ST JIHADI
Police are carrying out exhaustive forensic searches at a home in Melbourne’s north linked to Bourke St terrorist Hassan Khalif Shire Ali.
Neighbours told the Herald Sun that police descended on the quiet suburban street in Meadow Heights about 3am, with one man reporting he heard officers shouting “come out, come out”.
It is understood the property is linked to Shire Ali but it is unclear whether he lived there.
AFP officers are leading the search, with police believed to be focusing on a bungalow, which is adjacent to the home.
Other people were at the address and have assisted police with their inquiries but are not involved in the terror incident.
BOURKE ST OFFICERS STARED DOWN DEATH TO PROTECT US
PRAISE FOR ROOKIE OFFICER WHO SHOT JIHADI
PATTERN EMERGING OF ‘ISOLATED ACTS OF MADNESS’
The Herald Sun has been told police expect to be there for several hours, with the forensic search possibly even continuing into tonight and tomorrow morning.
The scene has been declared safe.
A neighbour told how he was watching TV with friends in the early hours of this morning when he heard noises in the street.
He said it was “chilling” to learn the property was linked to the Bourke St offender.
“That’s just scary,” the neighbour said.
Other neighbours said they had not noticed any trouble before at the property now being combed by police.
Specialist police this morning swarmed on another house linked to the man behind the horror Bourke St attack.
Officers descended on the Werribee property — believed to be the home of attacker Hassan Khalif Shire Ali’s father — at about 2am.
Video and images taken by the Herald Sun show masked officers standing guard at the home as forensic police took photos.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands family were inside the house and are co operating with police.
Men at the Virgin Mary Mosque in Hoppers Crossing said the father of the attacker had not been seen in some time.
It is understood the father stayed away from the mosque, where he used to attend frequently, due to his son being in prison.
“He used to come here quite often but he hasn’t really been seen in a while,” one man who wished to remain anonymous said.
“It’s weighed down on him so he’s kept away.”
It comes as the victim of the attack was named as the co-founder of the famous Pellegrini’s espresso coffee bar Sisto Malaspina.
NO CHANGE TO TERROR THREAT LEVEL
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that the nation’s terror threat level will remain as “probable” as he called upon Islamic religious leaders to do more to curb extremism.
“There is a special responsibility on religious leaders … to ensure that dangerous teachings and ideologies do not take root here,” Mr Morrison said.
“They must be proactive. They must be alert and they must call this out in their communities.”
The Prime Minister also defended the work of agencies working to prevent terror attacks.
“There were six attacks of this nature prior to this one,” he said.
“But there have been more that were thwarted.
“I think that is what Australians can take confidence in today, despite the fact we have gone through this tragic and unforgivable incident.”
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called for unity to fight Islamic extremism in the wake of the attack.
“We need to be ruthless and relentless against people who are going to commit this sort of violence in whatever twisted perverse definition of religion or ideology makes them do this,” he said.
Mr Shorten laid a wreath at the site of the tragedy and also at Pellegrini’s cafe, further up Bourke St, in honour of co-owner Sisto Malaspina, who was murdered during yesterday’s terrorist attack.
“I just cant believe that Sisto, who I was speaking to on Monday is not here today, on Saturday, and I think a lot of Melburnians will feel that shock,” he said.
“This is shocking, it brings it home, this is not somewhere in the Middle East, somewhere far away.”
Mr Shorten praised Australia’s security agencies and the political unity in face of threats.
“Ever since 2014, the security threat in Australia has been upgraded and I’ve worked with prime ministers Abbott, and Turnbull and now Morrison, and we’ve all shared the same desire to do everything we can to oppose the violent Islamic extremist message, which has become prevalent in a very small part of a radicalised minority,” he said.
“We need to be aware that these lone wolf attacks with simple weapons are a real threat...and we need to keep united as we do this.”
“One of our best weapons in dealing with these radicalised violent troublemakers... is to work with the rest of the Muslim community, just as we work with all our communities to apprehend and detect the very few who would seek to harm everyone else.”
Mr Shorten praised the police officers who faced off with the attacker, as well as the have-a-go heroes who tried to help.
“I want to congratulate the bystanders who bravely intervened, I want to particularly congratulate the frontline of the Victoria Police force.”
“I think that every Melburnian in the midst of this senseless evil murder felt reassured nonetheless by the speedy response of Victorian Police and, of course, the other bystanders who heroically stepped in”
KILLER TERRORIST NAMED, IS CLAIMS BOURKE ST ATTACK
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attack.
The Somali-born Australian, named by police as 30-year-old Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, stabbed a man to death and injured two other men after his Holden Rodeo exploded in the CBD about 4.10pm.
Police say they have spoken to the man’s wife — who is believed to have been radicalised.
Heroic police officers and bystanders tackled the man — who was known to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation — as he lunged at them with a knife.
He was shot in the chest and died in hospital.
Sources said the attacker operated as a lone wolf.
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But IS says one of its fighters carried out the knife attack, although the group’s Amaq news website provided no evidence for the claim.
“The one who executed the ramming and stabbing operation in Melbourne (..) is one of the fighters of the Islamic State and he executed the operation in response to (a call) to target the citizens of the coalition,” Amaq said.
A probe is being led by investigators from counter terrorism command and the homicide squad.
A roadblock in Bourke St was lifted about 6.15am with shops resuming normal business this morning.
A police van has been set up outside JB Hi Fi and is expected to be there all day for community reassurance.
ATTACKER WAS ‘PERSON OF INTEREST’
The Bourke St attacker, aged in his 30s, was one of 300 “persons of interest” in Victoria, identified as posing a potential security risk and it is understood he had been watched by police.
His passport had also been cancelled for several years.
“He was a person of interest well-known to Victoria Police, the AFP and ASIO,” a source said.
EVERYBODY KNEW SISTO, AND HE KNEW EVERYBODY
Police Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed this morning Khalif’s wife has spoken to police.
“I can certainly confirm we have spoken to her, so she’s not missing,” Commissioner Ashton told Channel 7’s Sunrise.
Authorities are set to use Victoria’s preventive detention laws for the first time in the wake of the attack.
The laws allow police to detain the suspects for at least seven days to prevent potential attacks.
Sources said authorities were likely to use the law to detain the suspect’s wife and any other associates deemed to be a security risk.
The Premier has suspended all election campaigning until at least tomorrow afternoon.
HOW THE ATTACK UNFOLDED
THREE men were stabbed during the frenzied attack, with one dying at the scene.
A 26-year-old and a 58-year-old are in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police chased the man who was carrying a weapon about 4.30pm, after a car burst into flames outside Target near the corner of Bourke and Swanston streets.
All victims were male, and Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton said the victim who died at the scene received “significant” knife injuries to the head.
He also said the killer terrorist came to Australia in the 1990s and lived in Melbourne’s northwestern suburbs.
Mr Ashton confirmed the man was well-known to state and federal police, including counter-terror authorities.
The attacker had minor previous charges relating to drug use and theft.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the attack was “evil and terrifying”, and commended the police who bravely took down the offender.
“They quickly responded in dangerous circumstances. They make everyone proud,” he said.
The police officers are being treated for minor cuts and scratches. One officer was also punched in the head by the terrorist while seated inside a marked police vehicle.
Commissioner Ashton also praised Victoria Police for their actions, saying they had followed their training by shooting Khalif in the chest.
“In terms of firing a firearm, you’re trained to shoot to kill, not to shoot to wound and that’s certainly what happened last night,” the Commissioner told Channel 9’s Today Show.
“They were very brave at the scene and also members of the public that were attempting to support the police in that as well.”
Mr Andrews also thanked the bystanders who put their lives on the line to defend police and the public.
WHO IS THE BOURKE ST TROLLEY MAN?
“They stepped in without a moment’s hesitation,” he said.
“These people have qualities that make us proud as well.”
IMAMS CONDEMN CBD TERROR ATTACK
The Board Of Imams Victoria in a statement last night said it was “shocked and extremely saddened” to learn of what had occurred.
President Sheikh Isse Abdo Musse said: “There is no place for violence in our society.”
“We must stand united in the face of evil,’’ he said.
The board expressed its “deep sense of gratitude to the men and women in our police force for their efforts in protecting the public.”
“We call upon the members of the community to come forward and assist the victims and their families in any way possible,” it said.
MORE POLICE FOR MAJOR EVENTS
Mr Ashton said it was “highly likely” there would be additional police at major public events over the weekend, with Stakes Day at Flemington on Saturday and Remembrance Day on Sunday.
“We are doing security reassessments in light of what’s occurred here in Melbourne in the late afternoon,” he said.
“At this stage, we’re still encouraging obviously people to go to those events and we’ll be doing security overlay over those and it’s highly likely we’ll have additional police at all of those events over the course of the weekend.”
David Jones has cancelled Saturday’s Christmas Concert on Bourke Street Mall, saying in a statement: “Safety is the number one priority for our customers and employees, and our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident.”
Myer also cancelled the opening of its Christmas windows.
“Passers-by were calling out that members of the public had been stabbed,” he said.
Two bystanders stepped in to surround the armed man, including one who used a shopping trolley as a weapon.
The witness then picked up a rubber weight on the ground to help the officers under siege.
He said terrified bystanders were yelling “shoot him, shoot him”.
WHO IS THE BOURKE ST TROLLEY MAN?
WITNESSES HEARD BANGS, SAW MAN COVERED IN BLOOD
Drumplings venue manager Ana Kostakos witnessed the horrific scene unfold in front of the Bourke St eatery and saw the ute rolling down the street, exploding multiple times “left, right and centre” as terrified staffers and customers hid inside.
She told the Herald Sun she saw the man lunge at the police officers before they shot him in the chest.
“Police tried hard to beat him down with a baton but he wasn’t giving in, he wasn’t even running away — he was going towards them,” she said.
“There was a guy with the shopping trolley trying to help but everybody was running in all directions.
“People were trying to help victims because he was just knifing at random. The security (guard) from building next door was also stabbed, but I saw he was sitting up so we know he survived.”
The eatery was forced to go into lockdown with five staffers and eight customers shut inside for more than two hours until police said they were free to go around 6.30pm.
One worker was left shaken after witnessing the incident, Ms Kostakos said.
“One of my staff is traumatised, he’s just devastated and it’s taken a while to keep him calm,” she said.
Witness Christian, who was in a nearby bookstore, said he heard a loud noise and saw police chasing a man.
“I heard a loud bang, I ran outside and saw everyone was running the other way,” he said.
“I saw a man covered in blood and also saw officers chasing someone.”
Piper Gilson works on Exhibition St and was walking on Bourke St with her partner when the carnage unfolded.
“We were probably 15 metres from the car, then all of sudden a loud bang, a loud ‘bomb’ bang. We looked over and we could see the heatwave coming up, it started to smoke and roll and that’s when the flames really came up,” she told the Herald Sun.
“The man who died, we saw him on the floor, holding his chest, covered in blood and the security guard, he had blood all over him and he was just walking in shock.”
“Some people were yelling out it’s a terror attack, some people were screaming, ‘call the cops’.”
“I said to my partner, ‘let’s leave’ … you never know if something else could happen.”
“It was very shocking. It’s something you would see in a movie and you wouldn’t expect it to happen in front of up when you’re leaving work,” she told the Herald Sun.
“To see the look on people’s faces, looking at someone on the floor bleeding to death, it’s traumatising, I guess. It’s very confronting. A lot of people were shocked, they didn’t know what to do.”
Sam, from Neapoli Cafe in Russell Place, said: “There was just a lot of bangs. There’s only staff here, police told us to stay.”
Another person nearby said they heard four loud explosions.
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Some fled the area, fearing there may be further explosions.
A bystander in Bourke St said people fled for their lives as the car burst into flames.
“They ran into a cafe and locked themselves in a kitchen,” he said.
The witness told the Herald Sun two or three policemen were standing over the man after the attack, who was then dragged into a side alley.
He said there was a person covered in blood near the car receiving first aid.
The witness said the injured person was either being given CPR or had a possible throat wound.
Michael, of the Treasure Star Karaoke Bar on Bourke St, said he heard loud noises shortly before 5pm.
“We just heard the explosion and we closed the shop,” he said.
“There was a gun sound, there was one or two gunshots.”
POLICE SEND EMERGENCY WARNINGS
Police used the emergency text warning service sending out a message saying: “Victoria Police is responding to an incident at the corner of Bourke and Swanston streets. Avoid the area.”
The terror public service system was also activated.
The sirens sounded before 6pm, and urged anyone with information about the incident to contact police.
Bourke St remains closed for investigations, with police estimating it would reopen around 8am Saturday.
There is no access from Swanston to Exhibition streets. Russell St remains open to traffic.
Additional reporting from Stephen Drill, Ryan Tennison, Josh Fagan and Genevieve Alison
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