A shopper has described the chilling moment she locked eyes with a knifeman on a stabbing spree at the Arndale Centre.
The woman, who was visibly shaken by what she saw, recounted mass panic as she and other shoppers ran towards the nearest exit.
Three people were stabbed and five injured after the terrifying attack unfolded shortly after 11.15am on Friday morning.
A man, 41, was initially arrested on suspicion of assault, but has since been re-arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism.
One eyewitness spoke to the Manchester Evening News of the moment she saw the knifeman.
She said: "I was at Next. Everyone was running. They all came out, I ran as well.
"I didn’t know what was going on. We all came outside. I went to Exchange Square then I turned and saw him.
Read more of today's top stories
"He had a knife, he was shouting, he was running after us. I was scared for my life. Wow. It was scary. I was 100 metres away.
"He came out, he went back in the Arndale for 50 seconds. He came out and walked down the road shouting.
"Everyone was running, shouting. He came out running after people.
"I’m still scared right now to walk in this street."
A number of shop workers were trapped inside the Arndale after police effectively locked down the shopping centre.
They were finally released shortly after 4pm.
One worker described sheer panic as an announcement was made over the loud speaker, telling staff they needed to evacuate the store.
"I saw a few people run past the store," he said.
"A few people warned us there there were people running around. The next minute over loud speaker they said 'you need to evacuate.'.
"People were rushing everywhere. Everyone was panicking.
"I evacuated at 11.20am, at the time we didn't know what was going on. We were just hoping for the best."
Three people - a 19-year-old woman, another woman and a man in his 50s - were stabbed before being taken to hospital.
A woman in her 40s was not stabbed, but was assessed by paramedics.
Another woman received a 'superficial knife injury'.
