The stabbing inside a church in Sydney injured four people, including a bishop, marking the second major knife incident to hit the Australian city in a matter of days.
The incident took place at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley around 7:15pm local time (11:15am GMT)
The video from the incident, which was live on the church’s YouTube channel, showed the church leader being repeatedly stabbed by a man approaching the altar, as worshippers rushed forward to help him.
The attack injured three more people.
New South Wales Police said officers had arrested a man after being called to a report of a number of people being stabbed at the church. A video shot outside the church shows a crowd of people getting riled up afterward.
Local media referred to the Bishop as Mar Mari Emmanuel.
The attack comes just days after a stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre in Sydney, which killed six people.
A police officer shot the attacker, 40-year-old Joe Cauchi.
Following reports of a stabbing, a police operation is underway in Wakeley.
Officers from the Fairfield City Police Area Command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports that a number of people were stabbed. A man was detained by police, and he’s helping them with their inquiries.
The injured people suffered non-life threatening injuries and are currently being treated by New South Wales Ambulance paramedics. It is recommended that the community avoid the area.
A man in his fifties was admitted to the hospital. None of the victims are reported to have suffered life-threatening injuries.
The church’s YouTube channel was streaming the service live. According to Sky News, one person watching wrote: “I was watching the live stream when a young male attacked him, possibly with a weapon was hard to tell but was fast and numerous blows.”
The live stream was removed after the church stepped in.
After the arrival of emergency services at the church, there were angry scenes outside as a large crowd gathered and appeared to clash with local police.
The mayor of the area called for peace and quiet. Let’s not make the police’s job any harder, he told Sky News. We live in difficult times right now, so I can understand frustration and the anger from the communities, but I ask them as the mayor to please be calm.
Cauchi went on a stabbing spree at a shopping centre 20 miles away from the attack. The killer’s parents said on Monday that they were extremely sorry as the country mourns the victims.
video: Man stabbed Bishop in Church during sermon
It has also been revealed that the lone knifeman led a secret life as a male escort with police also investigating if he internationally targeted women.
The shopping center claimed the lives of four women and one man, while another passed away in the hospital. A nine-month-old baby was one of the people injured.
