Knifeman is shot dead by cops after a group of shoppers were left fighting for life in a shopping centre knife rampage
- A man has been shot after going on a stabbing rampage inside a supermarket
- Four people injured – including at least two critically – after they were stabbed
A man has been shot dead by police in an Auckland supermarket after stabbing four people in an ‘out of control’ rampage.
Six people were rushed to hospitals across New Zealand’s north island on Friday afternoon while the knifeman died inside the Countdown supermarket in New Lynn.
At least three of the victims are fighting for their lives in critical conditions with neck and chest wounds after the attack.
They were rushed to Auckland City hospital while a third victim who remains in a stable condition was taken to Waitakere Hospital.
The fourth victim is in a stable condition at Middlemore Hospital.
Two of the victims were rushed straight into emergency abdominal surgery.
A witness told Stuff people were ‘running out, hysterically, just screaming, yelling, scared’.
The offender was ‘like a lunatic’ as he lunged at anybody in his path.
Another witness said she heard police ordering the offender to surrender before several gunshots rang out.
Police confirmed the incident is ‘still developing’, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been briefed.
Disturbing footage of the incident was shared online as a witness realised the offender was carrying a knife.
‘Holy f**k. Oh my God… Someone is in there with a knife, somebody has been stabbed,’ the woman said in the footage.
Four people were rushed to hospitals across New Zealand’s north island while the knifeman died inside the Countdown supermarket in New Lynn (pictured)
Kiri Hannifin, Countdown supermarket’s general manager of safety, released a statement on Friday afternoon stating her ‘heart was heavy knowing what our team and customers have witnessed’.
‘We are particularly devastated that something like this has happened again in one of our stores. It’s difficult to comprehend and the events of today leave our whole team in deep shock,’ she said.
‘The safety of our team, and our customers, is always our priority, and this is at the heart of our COVID-19 response as well. We will cooperate with the Police in any way we can to understand what’s happened, and at this point we’re unable to provide any further details.’
The store will be closed until further notice.
More to come.
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