Dramatic footage has emerged of a female police inspector racing through a busy shopping centre to single-handedly confront and shoot dead a knifeman who stabbed bystanders in a frenzied attack.
The unnamed officer, who then performed CPR on both injured victims and the killer as she waited for back up to arrive at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney‘s east, has since been hailed a hero.
Her bravery – and the bravery of other first responders – was even noted by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who issued a statement at about 10pm Sydney time.
‘We are shocked and saddened by the terrible events in Sydney earlier today. Our thoughts are with all those affected, including the loved ones of those lost, and the heroic emergency responders who risked their own lives to save others,’ they said.
Six shoppers are dead while several others, including a nine-month-old baby, were rushed to hospital following the terrifying rampage on Saturday afternoon.
The senior female police inspector who arrived at the scene within minutes risked her own life by confronting the knifeman alone on the top level of the shopping centre.
Footage shows the officer sprinting through Westfield to the scene to confront the knifeman. Evacuation sirens can be heard blaring in the background.
Two bystanders, one holding a plastic chair, are seen running behind her.
She shot the attacker when he turned towards her and raised his knife.
The hero police officer sprinted through Westfield Bondi Junction to single-handedly confront the knifeman
The female police inspector rushed to the aid of injured victims after she confronted and shot the knifeman dead
Her bravery – and the bravery of other first responders – was even noted by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who issued a statement at about 10pm Sydney time
Posting on their official X account, the couple said: ‘We are shocked and saddened by the terrible events in Sydney earlier today’
The officer performed CPR on the man but was unable to revive him.
She then rushed to aid of injured and bloodied bystanders lying inside the nearby Chanel store, where she performed more CPR.
She has since been hailed by a hero by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has since spoken to the officer who is ‘doing well under the circumstances’.
‘She showed enormous courage and bravery, and she will process obviously that,’ Commissioner Webb said.
‘She will need to be interviewed formally and so we just talked about that she’s OK and that her family’s OK.
‘She’s got everything she needs for the time being, and she will be formally interviewed tomorrow.’
Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke earlier said that the officer engaged immediately on her arrival to the scene.
‘The officer was guided to the location of the offender by people who are in the centre, and she took the actions that she did, saving a range of people’s lives.’
The police officer (pictured holding down the knifeman) has been hailed a hero by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Shocked bystanders recalled the officer’s heroic actions.
‘All she said was “Put it down”. Just once,’ Jason Dixon said.
‘Then she shot him in the chest and he went down.
‘When he fell on the ground she was giving him CPR.’
Hussein Osseili described how he was in Westfield with his six-year-old sister and grandmother when he heard gunshots and immediately knew what they were.
‘I just thought I have to get my family to safety. I told them to leave,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Then I saw a man with a big hunting knife – about 30cm long on the escalator in front of Woolies.
‘He went past Zara and Kmart, he was waving the knife around and stabbing people. He went to level 5 and then I heard more gunshots of the police. My family is all safe luckily.’
Cafe owner Michael Dunkley witnessed the moment the hero cop shot the knifeman.
He recalled the officer telling the man ‘drop the knife’ before he lunged at her.
‘She was put in a situation where she had to do it. She did it so calmly. She was amazing,’ Mr Dunkley said.
Mr Albanese held a snap press conference in Canberra to address the tragedy on Saturday night, where he singled out the bravery of the police officer who shot dead the knifeman
‘She entered the proceedings that were taking place, obviously very dangerous, by herself,’ he said.
‘She is certainly a hero.
‘There is no doubt that she saved lives through her actions.
‘Today is a reminder that those people who wear a uniform are people who rushed to danger, not away from it.
The female inspector confronted the knifeman alone on the top level of the shopping centre and shot him dead
‘Today at Bondi Junction was the scene of shocking violence, but it was also witness to the humanity and the heroism of our fellow Australians, our brave police, our first responders and of course, everyday people who could never have imagined that they would face such a moment.’
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has launched a critical incident has been launched into the police officer’s brave actions.
‘The NSWPF are investigating the circumstances of the incident and this investigation will be reviewed by the Professional Standards Command,’ a statement read.
Hundreds of shoppers were caught up in the terrifying stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction
