Man shot dead by police in Australia stabbing spree

SYDNEY, Australia – A man was shot dead by police after slashing several people at a shopping center in Australia’s northwestern Pilbara region on Friday, May 1.

According to police, the man stabbed one person at a motel and another outside a McDonald’s in the city of Port Hedland before attacking 5 people at the mall.

Western Australia police said officers shot and killed the man, aged in his early 30s, when tasers failed to subdue him.

“This was a very confronting and dangerous situation,” WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson told media on Friday.

The attack was not believed to be terror related. The man would fly in to the city from Perth to work and then fly out again, Dawson said.

Witnesses said the man attacked people at random, including a woman pushing a pram, as he ran through the shopping centre with a large knife.

“A lady was screaming and then this man was running, (he) ran passed me and then pretty much just stabbed me,” Esther Brooks, who had been injured in the attack, told Nine News.

Five people had been reportedly taken to hospital. All were in a stable condition.

WA Premier Mark McGowan described the attack as a “tragic and awful set of events”.

“All of our thoughts go to those people who have been hurt and all of our thoughts and appreciation go to those police officers,” he said. – Rappler.com