Three
British men helped take down a knife-wielding man appearing to yell “Allahu akbar”, after he tried to stab several people in
Sydney on Tuesday.
Lee Cuthbert, Paul O’Shaughnessy and Luke O’Shaughnessy, all from Manchester, were working in the area when they heard the attacker, the Press Association reports.
They told the Sydney Morning Herald: “We had a window open to get some air in and then we just heard the commotion […] we looked out and saw him on top of a car wielding a knife and we all just kind of reacted from there.
“We just tried to get down as quick as we could. You don’t think, you just kind of react really, it was surreal, very, very surreal.
“We all kind of chased, worked together, but it was Luke who was the real hero. He pursued him the hardest and managed to get a grip of him.”Witnesses say the man, wielding a long knife, attempted to stab multiple people near a busy junction.
police have said they are not treating it as a terrorist incident.
A woman has been found dead in a building following the knife attack and police are investigating the possibility the two incidents are linked.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison praised the bravery of bystanders who helped restrain the suspect, but said motivations behind the attack were not yet clear.The violent attack that took place in Sydney this afternoon is deeply concerning. The attacker is now in police custody following the brave actions of those who were present at the scene and were able to able to restrain him.— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) August 13, 2019The motivation for this attack has not yet been determined as Police are continuing with their enquiries. Any further offical information will be provided by the New South Wales Police, who are keeping us appraised through our agencies, including details of casualties.— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) August 13, 2019Footage posted online appeared to show a suspect standing on a vehicle roof, holding a knife aloft and shouting.
Bystanders could later be seen having apprehended the suspect with chairs, encouraging others to stand back and leave the prone suspect on the floor.
New South Wales Police said in a statement that a man was arrested, and that a woman was taken to a hospital in a stable condition.
A man whose car was jumped on by the suspect said he had been doing some
Uber driving at the time, and was carrying an elderly couple.
He said he saw that traffic had stopped and people were running, telling Nine News Sydney: “All of a sudden this guy appeared with a knife in his hand covered in blood, down the front shirt, and next thing I thought OK well obviously I can’t go through all these cars.
“As I’m thinking about doing something the guy jumps on the front of the car which was on the bonnet over here and then he goes up to the very top.”
He added: “I froze for probably a split second but then I thought I’m hoping that he’s not covered in any explosives or anything, so I quickly accelerated so he can get off the car.”
He said he drove left and then took a right turn where he could see the suspect again being chased by police and public.
“He was fearless. He was completely fearless,” he said, adding that he had “a big scary knife” in his hand.Related... Man Stabbed To Death In Camden Police Officer Attacked With Machete Discharged From Hospital