Civilians used an outdoor chair and a shopping trolley in attempts to help police stop a man who allegedly attacked people on Bourke Street, Melbourne, killing one.
The ma, named by police as Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, was shot after three people were stabbed, one fatally, on Friday afternoon. He later died in hospital.
Witnesses reported the sound of a large explosion and a car bursting into flames outside the Target store on Friday afternoon.
Multiple videos posted to social media showed Shire Ali carrying a knife and running at police, who had batons, guns and tasers drawn. In several clips two men can be seen attempting to assist officers.
One runs a trolley over from the other side of the street and pushes it at the attacker who is lunging at police. It appears to slow him down or trip him up, but the man who pushed it falls to the ground.
Shire Ali runs across the road, followed by police. The man follows with the trolley and pushes it towards the attacker again, as a police officer opens fire. The car, on fire in the background, explodes again.
A second man is also in the vicinity, brandishing a chair.
Supt David Clayton said officers responded to reports of the car fire but were confronted by the man “brandishing a knife and threatening them”.
“At the same time, passers-by were calling out that members of the public had been stabbed,” Clayton told media in Melbourne.
“Three people have been stabbed, unfortunately one is deceased at the scene, two other victims are currently in hospital.”
Police later said they believed the attack was terrorism-related
@abcmelbourne #bourkest source from wechat pic.twitter.com/PiHjr6UzJ1
— windix (@windix) November 9, 2018
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