One person was stabbed to death, two were injured and another man was shot by police in terrifying scenes on Melbourne’s Bourke Street yesterday.
Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and saw a car burst into flames outside Target on Bourke Street, between Swanston and Russell Streets, at about 4:20pm.
Police were called to reports of a car fire and were “confronted by a man brandishing a knife and threatening them,” Victoria Police Superintendent David Clayton told reporters at a news conference.
“At the same time, passers-by were calling out that members of the public had been stabbed,” he said. “Police shot the male in the chest and he is now in a critical condition under guard in hospital.”
“Three people have been stabbed, unfortunately one is deceased at the scene, two other victims are currently in hospital,” he added.
The condition of the other two victims was not yet known. The police officers were not injured.
Video circulating on social media showed a man advancing toward police and attempting to stab them, and then falling backwards after what sounded like a gunshot.
One of the police officers had their weapon drawn.
The altercation was filmed by several bystanders at the scene from multiple angles.
Police were not looking for any other suspects connected with the incident, Clayton said, adding that there was “no known link to terrorism at this stage.”
“We will keep an open mind as to whether there is any link, it’s very early stages in the investigation,” Clayton said.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews urged people to avoid the area.
“There’s been an incident in the CBD [central business district] near Bourke St,” Andrews said on Twitter. “Details are still unclear — but please avoid the area and always follow the instructions of emergency services personnel.”
Police have asked all witnesses and anyone with video footage to send it to them via a link on the Victoria Police Facebook page.
The incident came two days after the trial for Dimitrious Gargasoulas, who has pleaded not guilty to 33 charges, including six counts of murder, for a deadly incident on Jan. 20 last year, when he allegedly drove a car through pedestrians along Bourke Street and killed six people.
Cars are not allowed in the part of the street where that incident occurred, and the area has been further protected by concrete bollards since the January tragedy.
However, there is access for police cars, streetcars and garbage trucks.
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