Woman dead, another taken to hospital after CBD stabbing

Police are studying messages between the alleged attacker and a woman found dead in Sydney, as another woman recovers from stab wounds in hospital.

The body of a woman believed to be a sex worker has been removed from a Sydney apartment block after a shocking knife attack in the city.

On Tuesday, police confirmed the body of a 21-year-old woman was found in the apartment block Clarence House in Sydney’s CBD around 3:15pm.

She is understood to be a sex worker operating from home and police said the alleged knifeman was visiting her for “business” purposes.

Police allege she was killed by the suspect, Mert Ney, 21, who then stabbed another woman, 41, at random by stabbing her in the back. The second woman is recovering in hospital.

Detectives are studying phone records of the young sex worker to determine the nature of her relationship with Ney.

The Daily Telegraph reports she used a website, Locanto, to advertise her services and rented a boutique-style unit worth around $700 per week.

Police escort away a woman from a building near the scene of a knife rampage in Sydney on August 13, 2019. Picture: Saeed KHAN / AFP.

Police gather at the Clarence St apartments. Picture: Saeed Khan/AFP

Police officers outside an apartment building on Clarence St. Picture: Dean Lewins

Mr Ney had been living with his parents before the alleged attack, had a “history of mental health” and had a thumbstick with information about crimes of “mass casualties” including recent ones in the US and New Zealand, according to NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller.

He said the incident is not terror related.

RELATED: How the knife attack unfolded

NSW Health would not confirm if the man arrested by police had recently escaped from a mental health centre.

RELATED: Hero bystanders subdue knifeman

“We can’t comment at this stage, it’s a police matter,” a department spokesman said.

Police had blocked off Mr Ney’s western Sydney home and spent the night investigating.

Clarence St Cyclery, the shop that sits directly below the apartments where the woman was found dead, was forced to close on Tuesday after police set up crime scenes in front and behind the shop.

A witness is led out by detectives. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP

STABBING VICTIM IN HOSPITAL

The stabbing victim was found by police at Sydney’s Hotel CBD. She was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a stable condition, emergency services confirmed.

The woman was photographed at the scene on a stretcher being put in an ambulance by paramedics. She was sitting up and appeared to be conscious.

Her condition was described as “not life-threatening”.

The hotel, on the corner of York and King St, was in lockdown as police inspected the crime scene.

The woman is in a stable condition. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP

The woman was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP

Another woman, with a scarf wrapped around her hand, reported to The Rocks Police Station however police have since confirmed she was not a victim.

NSW Police Superintendent Gavin Wood told reporters there was a “number of attempted stabbings by the same offender”.

“It is a serious and significant investigation that I want to put out there but I also want to put out there most importantly, the threat has been negated,” he said on Tuesday.

The man was arrested by police on Clarence Street in Sydney Picture: Kartik Lad

The man was pinned to the ground. Picture: Channel 7

The alleged offender’s arrest made global headlines as it was captured on camera by Seven News.

Seven News reporter Andrew Denny captured a man on camera asking the knifeman:

“You f**king piece of s**t, do you know how many people you just stabbed you dog?”

“He just stabbed a chick in broad daylight. He stabbed a chick, came running down and he just stabbed people,” he said.

Just witnessed incredible bravery from members of the public and ⁦@FRNSW⁩ officers chasing down a man on a stabbing rampage in Sydney’s CBD. He is now under arrest. ⁦@7NewsSydney⁩ pic.twitter.com/wNKatejHVp

— Andrew Denney (@Andrew_Denney) August 13, 2019

Right before his arrest, Ney was filmed jumping onto cars on the corner of King and Clarence Street and screaming out.

“Shoot me, shoot me in the f**king head, I’ve got a f**king gun.”