Police believe they have identified the man who stabbed several people, six fatally, at a Sydney shopping centre.
Westfield Bondi Junction was on Saturday plunged into lockdown after a man entered with a knife and began attacking shoppers.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: ‘Known to police’: New details about Bondi attacker.
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Four women and one man were killed at the shopping centre, Police Commission Karen Webb said, with another woman later dying in hospital.
The attacker was shot dead by a lone police officer.
Webb said police believed they had identified the knifeman as a 40-year-old man but were waiting for it to be formally confirmed.
Should authorities’ beliefs be formally confirmed, she said, the incident would not be treated as terrorism.
“We know a little bit about this person.
“We are waiting to confirm his identification and, if it is the person we believe it is, we don’t have fear for that person holding an ideology.
“In other words, that it’s not a terrorism incident.”
She said that there was no indication of what his motivation for the attack may be.
“Not at this stage. We will take a thorough investigation to go back in time to his life to know that.”
Asked whether a certain demographic was targeted in the attack, Webb said there was no indication.
“There’s no suggestion there was anyone targeted. That could change. We will only know that in time.”
Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said the assailant was seen entering the shopping centre, leaving and then returning about 3.20pm, beginning his attack.
Police were called and an officer who happened to be nearby responded.
Members of the public directed her to the attacker and, when he turned to raise the knife at her, she shot him.
Witnesses say she ordered him to drop the knife and fired after he advanced towards her.
Cooke confirmed he was dead.
“I am content that there is no continuing threat,” he said.
“Police, as I have said, have commenced investigations into the matter which will continue through the evening.”
The shopping centre will close on Sunday and will remain a crime scene for several days, Webb said.
