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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Naaman Zhou

Police confirm assailant dead after attack – as it happened

This blog has now closed but for the latest updates please follow our rolling coverage here

We are closing our live updates of the terrible events in Melbourne today. We will be following developments again tomorrow on our site.

Anybody in Australia affected by today’s incident can contact:

  • Lifeline 13 11 14
  • GriefLine 1300 845 745
  • BeyondBlue 1300 224 636

You can read our full report on the day’s events here:

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews’ office has just sent out this statement following his press conference:

Today, an act of terror struck the heart of our city, in a place where past wounds have still not healed.

Exact details of what occurred are being investigated.

What we know is that in that moment, our city responded with courage and conviction.

We saw it in our police, whose swift, brave and decisive action saved lives.

We saw it in the everyday Victorians, who stayed with and cared for the injured, and stood ready to protect others.

And we saw it in the firefighters who rushed to the scene, and in our paramedics and hospital staff, who continue to treat the injured.

To all of our first responders, we extend our utmost gratitude.

And to the victims and their loved ones, we offer our prayers, support and deepest sympathies.

We won’t be defined by this evil act.

Victorians will continue to go about their business, together and with resolve.

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has also released a statement. He says an investigation by counter-terrorism agencies is underway.

Updated

What we know so far

  • One person has died after a man drove a car into Melbourne’s Bourke Street and attempted to stab people in a terrorist attack.
  • The attacker was shot by police at the scene and died in hospital.
  • Police said he and his family members were known to counter-terrorism.
  • Two other men were injured and are in hospital, though their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
  • The attacker had “barbecue-style gas cylinders” inside the car and set it alight.
  • The man had a minor offending history of drug, theft and driving offences, and lived in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne.
  • Police did not confirm reports that the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar”.

Man sets vehicle on fire and stabbs two in Melbourneepa07152771 Police at an incident on Bourke Street in Melbourne, Australia, 09 November 2018. According to early media reports, an unidentified man set a vehicle alight and stabbed two people before being shot by police in the Central Business District of Melbourne. At least one person was killed during the incident. The perpetrator was taken into custody and is reportedly in critical condition. EPA/JAMES ROSS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Updated

Here is Melissa Davey’s updated report on the attack.

Updated

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has also praised Victoria Police and the passersby who helped.

Updated

A few more details from that press conference.

Police said the man had a minor offending history of drug, theft and driving offences, lived in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne, and came to Australia from Somalia in the 1990s.

Commissioner Ashton said there was “a lot more work” to be done at the crime scene, and that Bourke Street would likely remain locked off “for as late as 9am tomorrow”.

He also shared a detailed sequence of events of what happened today.

“A four wheel drive, utility, drove into Bourke St between Russell St and Swanston St and parked there. One male person was in the vehicle. A fire was then started in that vehicle.

“He got out of the vehicle, engaged with some members of the public at that location. Almost within a minute, Victorian Police officers were in attendance in an unmarked vehicle.

“He assaulted one of the police offices through the vehicle window by punching him. At that time other police were starting to arrive. He at that time produced a knife and attempted to attack the police officers. One of the officers fired his firearm and shot the offender once in the chest.”

The man was taken to hospital and died half an hour after he arrived.

Updated

The premier, Daniel Andrews, has also spoken. He offered condolences to all affected and said “we will not be defined by this.”

Andrews thanked police for their “very quick response” and said “they have done each and every one of us proud”.

“Stranger and bystanders, who knew nobody involved, stepped in without a moment’s hesitation...they too are people whose qualities make us all proud as well.

“We extend our thoughts and prayers to all who are injured and extend our deepest, deepest sympathies.”

He said people should contact Lifeline, Griefline and Beyond Blue if they had been affected.

“These are traumatic events, they are terrifying,” the premier said. “Many will have seen them first hand.”

Two victims are still in hospital, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Ashton told reporters that all three victims, including one who died, were men.

Two remain in hospital, and Ashton said he had not received a more recent update before his press conference. But he said it was believed the injuries were not threatening.

He said he would not identify any of the victims until families had been notified.

The attacker had “barbecue-style gas cylinders” inside the car, police have said.

But commissioner Ashton denied that the attacker had yelled “Allahu Akbar”, as reported by some on social media.

Ashton provided further details of the attack, and responded to questions from reporters.

“Fire and rescue discovered barbecue-style gas cylinders inside the vehicle,” he said.

The man had family associations to people known to counter-terrorism, and was also himself known to count-terrorism.

But Ashton denied claims that the man had yelled “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, and had attempted to decapitate one of his victims.

He confirmed one victim suffered “significant head injuries... but the information I have did not include any attempt at decapitation”.

“At this stage the information is he didn’t do that [say Allahu Akbar]. I have seen it on social media but have no confirmation at this stage.”

Updated

Police treating it as terrorist incident

Victoria Police have confirmed that today’s attack is being treated as a terrorist incident.

Chief commissioner Ashton said the attacker was known to police and federal intelligence agencies.

“What we know so far about the individual...from what we know we are treating this as a terrorism incident,” he said.

“We believe we have confirmation on the identity [and] there are ongoing investgations being conducted by counter-terrorism. I am not at liberty to disclose the identity of this person”

“He is known to police, mainly in respect to relatives that he has that are persons of interest to us. He is someone who is accordingly known to Victoria Police and the federal intelligence authorities”

He said there was no ongoing threat and would not share any further details of the attacker’s identity and motive.

Attacker has died

The attacker has died, police confirm.

He was shot in the chest by police at the scene and died in hospital roughly half an hour after he arrived, said Graham Ashton, chief commissioner of police.

Melbourne’s mayor, Sally Capp, says she hopes “we can pull together to support each other” in a message to the public.

Aakash Verma gave a statement to police after witnessing the incident unfold.

He was working when he heard a bang. He went outside and said he saw a ute in flames rolling diagonally towards Target. Then he saw police pull up. “A guy came towards the cops as the cops were staying inside the car,” Verma said. “I’m not sure if he opened the door or if the cop opened the door.”

Once the door of the car was open and while the police officer was still sitting down, the man began stabbing him with something sharp.

Verma said it was a small object that may have been a knife, but he wasn’t sure. He also was not sure if the man made contact with the police officer, or if the police officer’s vest prevented him from being stabbed.

The police officer’s partner got out from the other side of the vehicle and came around to intervene.

“He [the man] backed off.”

Both police attempted to use pepper spray and to taser the guy but it didn’t seem to have any effect, Verma said.

“The person didn’t look like he wanted to run away, he wanted to stay and fight,” Verma said. “He was saying nothing. He had like a million chances to run away.”

Updated

Premier Daniel Andrews will also be at the 8.30pm press conference later tonight.

Victoria Police are holding another press conference at 8.30pm.

There are reports that the attacker has been identified, but we have not yet confirmed this.

Stay with us to 8.30pm and we will bring you the latest from police.

An update from Yarra Trams:

  • Diversions for Route 1, 6, 86 and 96 trams
  • No Route 3, 5, 16, 64, 67 & 72 trams running between Stop 11 Collins St and Stop 8 Melbourne Central Station.

At West Melbourne police station several tables have been set up to interview the dozens of witnesses who were at the scene in a makeshift interview space.

Police are guarding the station doors and directing people inside to give their statements.

It looks like it will be a very long night for police and witnesses.

The lord mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp, has praised police, emergency services and the community of Melbourne.

“Melburnians should be reassured by the rapid response from Victoria Police and emergency services who worked quickly, bravely and effectively to minimise harm to the public and contain the situation.

Police work at the crime scene.
Police work at the crime scene. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

“I’m proud of the way our community responded respectfully to police instructions at the scene. I know many of us will feel the impact of these terrible events and it’s important at these times that we pull together as a community and support one another.”

Updated

Here is a map of the current road closures in the Melbourne CBD.

Premier Daniel Andrews has also thanked police.

The ABC reports witnesses saw the man throw some kind of object into the car that set it alight.

In a live cross during the 7pm news bulletin, the ABC’s reporter Ben Knight said witnesses saw the man crash the car, get out and throw the object into the car.

Updated

We have now published some footage of the incident today. It shows the car on fire, the man fighting with police, and the suspect being arrested.

Warning: Some viewers may find the footage distressing.

The Victorian opposition leader, Matthew Guy, has offered his thanks to police.

Updated

Will Mitchell said he was getting a haircut across the mall from Target when people began running past screaming.

“The hairdresser goes run, run, run, run and they run out of the shop and close the shop,” he said. “I went out to see what happened and there was a car on fire.

Street signs are seen during an incident on Bourke Street in Melbourne.
Street signs are seen during an incident on Bourke Street in Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

“I was across the road and the car was on the opposite side of the road next to Target. I was just across the road, where the Starbucks coffee shop was, and I felt the heat from the car. All I saw was commotion and people running everywhere. Then I just stayed around and the police cordoned off the area.”

Updated

Members of the public are being urged to upload any video of the attack to Victoria Police.

Here is Calla Wahlquist’s report on today’s attack.

Bourke Street has been closed by Vic Roads, for an indefinite period.

There is no access to Bourke St from Swanston St or Exhibition St. Russell St remains open to traffic. Bourke St will be re-opened when police investigations are complete.

People have been told to avoid the CBD tonight if they can.

Updated

Clayton also shared more details of how the attack was subdued.

“Nearby police quickly responded to the incident [of a car on fire in Bourke Street],” he said.

A burnt out vehicle is seen in Bourke St.
A burnt out vehicle is seen in Bourke St. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

“As they got out of the car they were confronted by a male brandishing a knife and threatening them. At the same time, passersby were calling out that members of the public had been stabbed.

“Police shot the male in the chest and he is now in a critical condition under guard in hospital.”

You can watch the full press conference below.

Updated

No terrorism links at this stage

Police have said there are no known links to terrorism at this time.

“The investigation is ongoing, we are keeping an open mind,” Superintendent David Clayton said.

“There are no known links to terrorism at this stage. We are keeping an open mind”.

He added that police were not looking for any other attackers at this stage.

Superintendent David Clayton speaks to the media.
Superintendent David Clayton speaks to the media. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The bomb response unit have cordoned off the area around the mall, and are “now making the scene safe”.

He said any witnesses or those with information should go to Melbourne West Police Station to make a statement.

He did not take any questions as it was “very early in the stage of the investigation.”

Updated

One confirmed dead

Victoria Police confirm that one person has died at the scene.

Police tape seen on Bourke St.
Police tape seen on Bourke St. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Two others are currently in hospital, Superintendent David Clayton said in a press conference.

Police confirmed that they shot the suspected attacker in the chest. He is in a critical condition under guard in hospital.

Updated

It’s so eerie. The onlookers have been cleared away and only media and police allowed to remain.

Bourke Street after it had been closed down.
Bourke Street after it had been closed down. Photograph: Melissa Davey for the Guardian

The loudspeakers in the city for mass incidents are being used and a warning message to avoid the area is blaring through the streets which are empty except for emergency cars, police and a media scrum.

We are waiting for a press conference to begin. It’s starting to drizzle with rain.

Updated

Pictures from the incident, taken by press photographers, appear to show an injured man lying underneath a white sheet.

The severity of his injuries have not been confirmed.

We are still waiting on the police press conference.

Media are standing by for the press conference, which has not yet begun.

What we know so far

  • Four people have been injured, including the attacker, after a man crashed a car into Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall and attempted to stab people.
  • The man was arrested by police and taken to hospital in a critical condition.
  • Witnesses say he drove a ute into the Target centre at around 4.20pm. As the car went up in flames he attempted to stab people and fought with police and bystanders.
  • One person has been taken to hospital with a neck injury in a suspected critical condition. Two others were also injured, but their condition is not yet known.
  • The suspected attacker was arrested at the scene and is under police guard in hospital. Police say they are not looking for anyone else at this stage.
  • People have been urged to stay away from Bourke St, Swanston St and the Melbourne CBD.
The car on fire.
The car on fire. Photograph: @_sarah_sarah
Emergency works are seen on Swanston street in Melbourne’s CBD.
Emergency works are seen on Swanston street in Melbourne’s CBD. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Updated

The ABC have spoken to witness Meegan May:

“A couple of people on the trams were saying someone had a knife and when I got up and looked through the rear window, I could see a big ute on fire driving across the road,” she said.

The car on fire in the background.
The car on fire in the background. Photograph: @_sarah_sarah
Emergency works are seen on Swanston street in Melbourne’s CBD.
Emergency works are seen on Swanston street in Melbourne’s CBD. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

“It sort of came to a stop on the other side, and then I could see a man and two police sort of trying to calm him down. He was waving his arms around, someone was saying he had a knife - I couldn’t tell from where I was.

“And then not too long after that, I heard a loud bang that sounded a bit like a gunshot, nothing like an explosion, and then a person near me said they could see someone giving someone chest compressions, and an ambulance and 50 cop cars came out of nowhere not long after that.”

Updated

Victoria Police will give a press conference at 5.45pm.

I‘ve just spoken with Neil McKellar, who works in Hylands Bookshop on Bourke Street close to the scene.

Emergency works are seen on Bourke street in Melbourne’s CBD.
Emergency works are seen on Bourke street in Melbourne’s CBD. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

McKellar spoke of hearing a loud explosion and then gunshots. He’s just left his building and walked along Little Bourke Street nearby. He said the scene was restricted and police and emergency services were there in force.

The scene seemed to be under control.

“We heard the explosion, and we heard gunshots later,” McKellar said. “We’re in an ex-cinema in Bourke Street. We heard it but we didn’t know what it was.”

Updated

Footage from the incident shows a man using a trolley to subdue the attacker. A warning that the footage contains the audio of a gunshot at the end.

The man, whose identity is unclear, is being dubbed “Trolley Man” by some.

Other footage, sourced from the Chinese language social media app WeChat, shows the suspected attacker lying on the ground being handcuffed by police.

Meanwhile, police are expanding their lines.

Updated

Vic Roads have urged people to avoid the area – especially Swanston Street and Bourke Street.

Policemen block members of the public from walking towards the Bourke Street mall in central Melbourne.
Policemen block members of the public from walking towards the Bourke Street mall in central Melbourne. Photograph: Sonali Paul/Reuters

People should also take care on Russell Street, Little Collins Street and Elizabeth Street and Little Bourke Street.

Trams are not running on Swanston or Bourke Streets in any direction.

Updated

Another worker at a nearby burger shop, who did not want to be named, told Guardian Australia they had little idea what had happened.

“We just heard these blasts and a car was on fire,” he said. “And then we saw police coming up to our shop.”

Bourke Street Stabbing.
Bourke Street Stabbing. Photograph: Melissa Davey for the Guardian

“They just came and put the police line thing, you know. We asked them what happened, and they said they couldn’t say. They’re not letting anyone come near the place.”

Updated

Three injured, one critical

Ambulance Victoria say three people are injured, one in a confirmed critical condition.

Statement below:

Paramedics have assessed three people at the scene.

One person has been taken to hospital with a neck injury. They are in a suspected critical condition.

A second person has been taken to hospital with a head injury. Condition not yet known.

A third person has also been taken to hospital. Condition and injuries are not yet known.

Genders and age of patients are not yet known.

Updated

I’m told surrounding buildings are still in lockdown. Staff can’t leave and no-one can enter the area. The intersection lies within a busy shopping mall, so hundreds of tourists and onlookers have gathered. There are dozens of police cars, choppers overhead.

Man arrested by police

Victoria Police confirm a man has been arrested and people are being treated for stab wounds.

The arrested man is in a critical condition.

Bourke Street Stabbing.
Bourke Street Stabbing.
Photograph: Melissa Davey for the Guardian

Full statement below:

Police are currently at an incident on Bourke Street in the CBD. Police initially responded to a report of a car on fire near the corner of Swanston Street about 4.20pm.

A man was arrested at the scene and has been taken to hospital under police guard in a critical condition. Police are not looking for anyone further at this early stage.

A small number of people are being treated for stab wounds.

The exact circumstances are yet to be determined at this stage. The area has been cordoned off and the public are urged to avoid the area.

Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is asked to go to Melbourne West Police Station to make a statement.

Updated

Footage from the scene appears to show a man fighting with two police officers, before falling over.

The man can be seen attempting to stab at the officers, as two members of the public help to subdue him. No casualties can be seen in the immediate vicinity.

A reminder that we will not be linking to or broadcasting footage that has not been confirmed.

A man working with City of Melbourne council told Guardian Australia he was in his office building across the street and on the phone when he heard a loud bang.

It was “not the normal sort of bang you hear on the street”, he said. He is currently locked in the building and all staff have been accounted for.

“This was virtually opposite where the Target centre is. At about 4.20pm i heard a bang – a very solid bang and because I was on the phone I couldn’t see straight away what happened.”

He said he looked outside and saw a ute parked just under Target.

We’ve heard a report of a person possibly with severe injuries, but this has not been confirmed.

Trams to the street and traffic has been halted.

Location of Bourke Street in Melbourne where a police operation is underway
Location of Bourke Street in Melbourne where a police operation is underway

Witnesses working in Bourke Street mall have told Guardian Australia they heard a single “loud explosion” and witnessed a large fire.

“Yeah, we heard a massive boom and then it stopped,” one woman said.

She said there were large numbers of police in attendance.

Other nearby workers reported hearing an announcement that Bourke Street mall was being shut, but were unaware of why.

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has asked the public to stay away.

Early reports say a car is on fire in Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall.

Pictures, below, have emerged of the car, and smoke billowing up.

A large crowd on the usually busy street are being held back by police.

There is no confirmed information yet on whether this was deliberate or accidental, or on what caused the fire.

A major incident has occurred in Melbourne on Bourke Street, where a car was seen in flames.

Police have been called and attended the scene. Members of the public are urged to stay away.

No official details have been released, but stay with this liveblog as news becomes available.

Updated

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