‘Lone actor’ knife attacker carried mass killing material
Police confirm link to dead woman and a knife-wielding man who stabbed another woman and yelled “Allahu Akbar” in city streets.
- Body link to frenzy
- How the attack unfolded
- Yelling ‘radicalist things’
- ‘These people are heroes’
- Mass killing information found
A woman is dead and another injured after a knife-wielding man rampaged through Sydney’s central business district this afternoon.
The man stabbed a woman in the street, and attempted to stab others, while reportedly shouting “Allahu Akbar”.
The knife frenzy ended when three ‘hero’ bystanders wrestled the man to the ground, restraining him with a chair and a milk crate, and police with guns drawn took him into custody.
7.13pm: More details emerge on victims
The body of a 21-year-old woman killed with a butchers knife by alleged attacker Mert Ney was discovered inside a residential unit at Clarence House on 104 Clarence Street, which has previously been linked to a brothel business.
Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the alleged attacker was visiting the 21-year-old woman, whose throat was cut, for “business purposes”.
To @DamoNews who is LIVE at the murder scene on Clarence Street in the city, following the attack. #9News pic.twitter.com/0pDLhxLLq4
— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) August 13, 2019
“It appears he (Mert Ney) was there for a business purpose,” Commissioner Fuller told reporters today.
The other victim, a 41-year-old woman, remains in a stable condition at the Emergency Department of St Vincent’s Hospital after she was stabbed in the back near Hotel CBD on Clarence street during the rampage.
She was conscious when she was treated by paramedics shortly after the alleged attacker was arrested but didn’t require surgery when she was admitted to hospital.
Commissioner Fuller said the two victims and the alleged attacker were unrelated.
Mert Ney was treated at Royal Prince Alfred for minor injuries and is expected to be charged by police tonight.
5.54pm: ‘Ramblings of a mentally ill man’
Commissioner Fuller was asked about the alleged attacker reportedly holding “literature, information and a USB thumb drive of white supremacist attacks”.
“I want to stress with you — it is early. In an hour’s time we might be stepping up here with a different story,” Commissioner Fuller replied.
“All the evidence points to that (the ramblings of a mentally ill man)” Commissioner Fuller said.
The 21-year-old alleged offender was taken directly to hospital and is being assessed for minor injuries.
“At some stage this evening, (the offender) should return to a police to be interviewed and criminal charges laid,” Commissioner Fuller said.
5.44pm: Attacker carried mass killing information
Commissioner Fuller said there was information found on the 21-year-old alleged attacker “about other crimes of mass casualties and mass deaths around the world.”
“I haven’t seen that information yet, so I can’t expand on that. No doubt over the coming days we will certainly make that information available.”
The alleged attacker’s history was “unremarkable compared to the of gravity of the crimes he committed”, Commissioner Fuller said.
A crime scene has been established in western Sydney where the alleged attacker lives.
There is no connection between the alleged attacker and their victims Commissioner Fuller said.
5.37pm: ‘Lone actor: not a terrorist act’
Mr Fuller said the incident is not being classed as a terrorist act.
“Obviously as the investigation continues we will reassess that and potentially more crime scenes as we expand the investigation.”
Information found on the “Lone actor” suggests he had ideologies on terrorism but no links to terrorist organisations, Commissioner Fuller said
5.35pm: Man’s ‘terrifying carnage’: Police Commissioner
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has described the “terrifying carnage” of a 21-year-old man named in media outlets as Mert Ney of Marayong, near Blacktown, who stabbed a 41 year old woman on Clarence street this afternoon.
He said three members of public who helped detain the man should be considered the “highest order heroes”.
Commissioner Fuller said another 21-year-old woman deceased in a unit to Clarence Street apartment remains unidentified.
“All information on the scene and what we have on hand would link the two crimes,” he said.
5.34pm: Barilaro praise
Acting NSW Premier John Barilaro has praised the men who subdued the knife attacker and helped secure his arrest this afternoon.
“I also want acknowledge those members of the public those heroes,’’ Mr Barilaro said.
He also thanked police and emergency services for their response.
In London on a trade mission, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: “Our thoughts and prayers are obviously with the deceased and the victims of this horrific crime.
“I’ve been in touch with the commissioner and the minister for police and obviously we’ll be kept updated of ongoing developments but I also want to acknowledge the very brave passers by who obviously tried to intervene and say that our thoughts are with all the victims and all
those who witnessed this horrific incident.”
5pm: Body link to frenzy
Police are investigating a link between a woman found dead with stab wounds in a CBD apartment and a stabbing rampage in Sydney which left another woman injured.
The woman’s body was found in an apartment building on Clarence Street in central Sydney about 3.15pm — more than an hour after the injured woman was attacked on the street.
Police could not confirm reports that the dead woman’s throat had been slashed but are investigating whether there is a connection to the knife frenzy which resulted in the dramatic arrest.
4.55pm: Mental health reports
There were reports last night that the man in custody had recently escaped a mental health facility.
4.25pm: How it unfolded
A woman with knife wounds to her back was rushed to hospital this afternoon after the man was detained. He had raced through Sydney streets ranting apparent religious slogans and yelling at police to shoot him.
Police said it had been reported the attacker was yelling “Allahu Akbar”. Witness Zak Barry said he saw the man fall down on York Street “and as he’s falling he dropped a kitchen knife”.
A witness at the scene, Paul O’Shaughnessy told The Australian how he and his brother helped pin down the alleged attacker.
“We had the windows slightly open and we heard a big kerfuffle and shouting … and my brother said there’s a guy holding a knife, and there was a bit of blood and he said come on this is it (a terrorist attack),” Mr O’Shaughnessy said.
Attacker ‘yelling radicalist things’
Mr O’Shaughnessy said the alleged attacker was yelling “radicalist things” as he ran through the city with a knife.
Police said the man’s rampage began about 2pm with the woman stabbed in the back.
“The male offender produced a knife and has stabbed a member of the public, and subsequently there were a number of attempted stabbings,” said Superintendent Gavin Wood said.
“The male offender for the stabbing is in custody. He was on his own. The threat to community is negated.”
These people are heroes: police
The members of the public who physically restrained the alleged offender were “significantly brave”, and who intervened in the face of “incredible danger”, Supt Wood said.
“With clear evidence of a stabbing previously, these people are heroes … and I want to acknowledge that.”
“These members of the public … have jumped into this situation that was extremely hostile. They have brought this person into custody and allowed us to do our job,” he said.
Just witnessed incredible bravery from members of the public and â¦@FRNSWâ© officers chasing down a man on a stabbing rampage in Sydney’s CBD. He is now under arrest. â¦@7NewsSydneyâ© pic.twitter.com/wNKatejHVp
— Andrew Denney (@Andrew_Denney) August 13, 2019
4.20pm: PM commends bravery
Prime Minister Scott Morrison took to Twitter to commend the bravery of those who restrained the attacker.
“The violent attack that took place in Sydney this afternoon is deeply concerning. The attacker is now in police custody following the brave actions of those who were present at the scene and were able to able to restrain him,” the Prime Minister said.
“Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by this violent attack.”
At about 3.30pm, the alleged knifeman was escorted into an ambulance on a stretcher, and driven to hospital.
The violent attack that took place in Sydney this afternoon is deeply concerning. The attacker is now in police custody following the brave actions of those who were present at the scene and were able to able to restrain him.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) August 13, 2019
‘Covered in blood’
Vision of the rampage taken by witnesses shows the man running through the CBD covered in blood.
One lot of vision shows a young man standing on the roof of a Mercedes car in the middle of the street. When the car moves, the young man is seen jumping off the car before being attacked with chairs by passers by.
A group of men were then seen chasing the younger man before tripping him over near a cafe and pinning him down by putting a milk crate over his head.
It’s believed police took the man into custody with guns drawn as he was pinned him with the crate.
He was taken to Day Street police station.
David, a witness at the scene told ABC News there were five or six men chasing another man with a crowbar.
“I was walking towards Wynyard Park and this man came running around the corner, about three or four metres away from me, and then came about five or six other men chasing him,” David said.
Vision from 7 News shows a young man, dressed in jeans a grey shirt and a black jumper carrying a shoulder bag, who witnesses said looked “mad” as multiple police chased him down the busy CBD street.
“(He had) dark, bushy unkempt hair. About 20 something years old … he looked to me like a man who was in distress, he looked like someone who was mad,” David said.
Stabbing in Sydney CBD pic.twitter.com/UMHbeDOdMi
— Gary Mason (@aussiehatter1) August 13, 2019
Miners’ blast to Treasurer: don’t waste our billions
Mining chiefs have accused Jim Chalmers of squandering surpluses they helped deliver and warned the budget will remain in deficit unless spending is reined-in and fiscal discipline applied.
Arrogant Big Super opts out of decency
Thousands of Rest Super members wrongly slugged for insurance have been told they need to get in contact if they don’t want to keep paying the fees turned on by ‘accident’ months ago.