Police announced that an assailant, responsible for fatally stabbing five individuals in a Sydney mall, was neutralized by officers in the beachside suburb of Bondi on Saturday. As hundreds fled the scene, authorities disclosed that the attacker was confronted by a police officer after interacting with nine individuals within the bustling Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center.

“She discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased. I am advised that there are five victims who are now deceased as a result of the actions of this offender,” New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke told a press conference.

Cooke stated that the police currently lack any indication of the man’s motive.

Emergency services responded to the mall shortly before 4 p.m. (0600 GMT) following reports of the stabbing, according to police.

A spokesperson for New South Wales Ambulance confirmed that eight individuals, including a child, had been transported to the hospital.

Following the incident, hundreds of individuals were evacuated from the shopping center, as reported by news site news.com.au.

Two witnesses informed Reuters that they heard gunfire.

“Even 20 minutes after people were rushed out of the mall, I saw SWAT teams of people sweeping the surrounding streets,” one witness said.

The other said they saw a woman lying on the ground and took shelter in a jewellery store.

An eyewitness described the police officer shooting the attacker to state 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.”

Several posts on social media showed crowds fleeing the mall and police cars and emergency services rushing to the area.

“Our hearts go out to those injured and we offer our thanks to those caring for them as well as our brave police and first responders,” Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese posted on social media site X.

(With inputs from Reuters)