Haymarket: Mahmoud Salhab charged after Service NSW staffer stabbed in front of horrified workmates

A man has been charged after he allegedly attacked a Service NSW employee, stabbing him multiple time with a “bladed knife”.

A Service NSW employee is in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being stabbed while on the job in the CBD this morning.

The 55-year-old was at work in Service NSW’s Haymarket building around 9.30am, when he was allegedly stabbed in the lower back, chest and shoulder by 37-year-old Mahmoud Salhab, who was armed with a “bladed knife”.

Detective Superintendent Martin Fileman said the 55-year-old employee was in a “short conversation” with 37-year-old when he pulled out a knife and allegedly attacked.

“He has produced a bladed knife in an unprovoked attack and has stabbed a male employee a number of times in the torso,” he said.

Police at the Service NSW office in Haymarket. Picture John Grainger

Staff console one another following the incident. Picture John Grainger

The employee was stabbed at work.

The attack horrified fellow staffers.

“The 37-year-old male was immediately detained by Service NSW staff and customers.”

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the employee before he was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital in a critical condition.

Detective Superintendent Fileman confirmed he has undergone surgery and was in the intensive care unit surrounded by his family.

He confirmed Salhab was “very well-known to police” and was facing a “substantial” period in custody if convicted, saying: “we take knife crime very seriously and this is no exception.”

Secretary of NSW Department of Customer Service Emma Hogan said staff had obviously been traumatised by the “awful and upsetting” incident, and were being supported.

“The safety and welfare of our teams is the most important thing to us and we are all devastated by this morning’s event,” she said.

“Our team members who witnessed it have all been offered the appropriate support and are now safely at home with loved ones.”

She passed on her thoughts to the employee and his loved ones.

“Our frontline staff come to work every day to help our customers and those same staff deserve to come home safely,” Ms Hogan said.

The NSW Premier, Chris Minns, also thanked first responders – saying the incident was “horrifying”.

“To all the staff at Service NSW and those first responders on the scene – thank you,” he said.

Salhab spent the afternoon in custody at Day St Police Station and was charged with wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He will face Parramatta Bail Court tomorrow.