Saturday afternoon at Westfield in Bondi Junction, Sydney, turned from a normal shopping day into a scene of horror as hundreds of shoppers were evacuated following a stabbing incident.
Reports indicate that a man attacked four individuals, including a mother and her baby, creating a panic that led to the immediate evacuation of the facility.
Witnesses Report Gunshots and Rapid Police Response
The situation escalated quickly with eyewitnesses claiming to hear gunshots as police responded in force to the emergency at the shopping centre.
News outlets, including News.com, initially reported the shooting of a suspect, believed to be the assailant. The exact conditions of the victims remain unclear, with local media and police providing conflicting reports on their statuses.
A Community Rallies to Help
Amid the chaos, a witness recounted the heart-wrenching moment when the mother, desperately seeking help, handed her baby to him.
"The mother came over to me with the baby and just threw it at me, so I just helped the baby. I tried to stop the bleeding and called for an ambulance and police," the witness explained to 9News. According to his account, the floor was covered in blood, prompting urgent calls for cloth to stem the baby's bleeding.
He remains hopeful about the baby's condition but fears for the mother's well-being.
Conflicting Reports on Casualties
While the police have yet to confirm the condition of the gunman and the extent of injuries to the victims, The Sydney Morning Herald has reported four fatalities, though this information has not been verified. The community and the nation wait anxiously for clear details as authorities continue to investigate the motives behind the attack and assess the aftermath.
