1 dead, 2 critically injured in stabbing attack in Australia

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - A man was killed and two people were critically injured in a stabbing attack Tuesday along a busy shopping strip in western Sydney in Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state, local media reported.

The attack occurred in the suburb of Merrylands on Merrylands Road, a busy commercial strip, where emergency services were called after reports that a man had stabbed several people before fleeing the scene on foot, according to ABC News.

A man believed to be in his 30s or 40s died at the scene despite emergency efforts.

A 22-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, authorities said.

Police confirmed that two of the stabbings took place inside a business premises, while a third occurred on the footpath outside.

Police arrested a man behind a nearby house on Smythe Street and he was taken to Granville Police Station.

"The alleged offender is known to police for petty crime and a number of mental health incidents," said NSW Police Superintendent Simon Glasser.

A crime scene has been established as police continue investigations into the motive behind the attack.