Merrylands, Australia — A man has been killed and two others seriously injured in what police described as a “random” stabbing attack on a busy suburban high street in western Sydney on Tuesday morning.

Officers responded to reports of multiple stabbings on Merrylands Road in Sydney shortly after 10 a.m. local time. The attack occurred in Merrylands, approximately 25 kilometers west of Sydney’s central business district.

Police said two of the victims were stabbed inside a shop along the high street, while a third was attacked outside on the street. A knife believed to be about 25 centimeters long was used in the assault, according to Superintendent Simon Glasser.

One victim, a man believed to be in his 30s or 40s, was declared dead at the scene. Paramedics treated a 22-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman for serious injuries before transporting them to hospital in critical condition.

Authorities later arrested a man on a nearby street. He was taken to Granville Police Station for questioning. Police said the suspect is known to law enforcement for minor offenses and prior mental health incidents but is not linked to the address where he was located. Officials confirmed he is a local resident.

“It’s very early in the investigation. Police are unaware at this point what the motive was. However, it appears it was a random attack,” Glasser told reporters at a news conference.
He added that the three victims were not related and were alone at the time of the incident. The attack unfolded just before lunchtime in a busy area filled with shoppers and pedestrians.

“It’s a horrible offence to have taken place in Merrylands just prior to lunchtime with lots of people around,” Glasser said, describing the scene as “highly confronting.” He also praised members of the public who rushed to assist the injured before emergency crews arrived.

Witnesses reported hearing screams followed by the arrival of police vehicles, ambulances, and helicopters. One eyewitness told ABC News she saw a woman lying outside a shop with blood on the ground. Another witness said he observed a woman with a neck injury emerging from a convenience store.

Joseph Roussini, 59, told the Sydney Morning Herald that he called emergency services after seeing a woman “screaming for her life.” He described a man attempting to stop the bleeding by holding her neck as they exited a shop.

Police have established a crime scene and continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Credit: ABC News, Independent.co.uk