A female police officer is being called a hero after acting alone to neutralize the suspect who went on a stabbing spree at a shopping center near Sydney, Australia.
Six people are dead and eight more injured, including a 9-month-old infant, after a 40-year-old man wielding a knife went on a rampage Saturday afternoon at Westfield Bondi Junction. Authorities say that an unidentified police officer who was first to respond to the scene ran towards the assailant and fatally shot him, ending his killing spree.
"She showed enormous courage and bravery," New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said during a news conference. Webb described the hero cop as a "very senior officer" but did not release her name.
A witness described the officer's fearless actions to Australian media.
SUSPECT AMONG SIX DEAD IN AUSTRALIAN STABBING SPREE AT BUSY SHOPPING CENTER: POLICE
Jason Dixon told The Daily Telegraph that as the officer approached the suspect, the man refused to drop his knife.
"All she said was: ‘Put it down.’ Just once. Then she shot him in the chest and he went down," said Dixon. He added that the man gave the officer no other choice.
"She had to shoot him because he just kept coming. He had a knife and he wasn’t going to stop," he said. "He was advancing at her, and he was running, coming to get someone else."
Dixon said the officer shot the suspect once in the heart or the chest.
"I’m glad she got him, because if he didn’t, he would have stabbed her too."
Another eyewitness described the police officer shooting the attacker to Australia broadcaster ABC.
"If she did not shoot him, he would have kept going, he was on the rampage," said the man, who did not give his name. "She went over and was giving him CPR. He had a nice big blade on him. He looked like he was on a killing spree."
New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said the officer confronted the suspect by herself.
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"She confronted the offender who had moved by this stage to level five [of the mall] as she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him. He turned, faced her, raised a knife. She discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased," Cooke said.
Five of the six stabbing victims were women, while eight people, including the baby, have been hospitalized in Sydney and are receiving treatment, authorities said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the incident a "horrific act of violence indiscriminately targeting innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday."
He praised the officer who confronted the offender. "She is certainly a hero. There is no doubt that she saved lives through her action," he said.
Investigators have not yet identified a motive in the horrific attack but have said they do not believe it was terrorism.
"Let me assure you that we are confident that there is no ongoing risk, and we are dealing with one person who is now deceased," Webb said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
