A shocking mass stabbing incident here yesterday. Reads like the perpetrator was deeply troubled and lost the plot.
There's not much to be grateful for except that we don't let people own rebadged military rifles. It's absolutely awful but could have been so much worse 😢
/nosanitize
Update: the police have made an official statement now and have identified the heroic policewoman who ran in to deal with the situation alone as Inspector Amy Scott.
Update: It would appear that the perpetrator of the mass stabbing in Sydney yesterday was a mentally ill man who seems to have targeted women. But this Pakistani refugee who was working as a security guard must've got in his way and paid with his life. R.I.P.😔 :
Update: And now we find out that another immigrant tried to do his bit to stop the murderer. This one a French homme.
It's almost like immigrants actually add value to, and courageously participate in, the community rather than "poisoning its blood" like some evil (ed. fascist) people try to claim.
@DyDave I only just found out about that a short while ago 😔
Much respect to the first officer on the scene, and I hope all those injured by this in any way can heal in time.
Yeah, same. A terrible thing.
@DyDave I saw that. I’m glad it wasn’t worse.
Same, it's bad enough, but it could've been an even worse disaster in a crowded place like that.
For me, it's exhibit #28,984,787+++ that there are people everywhere who might get to a place where they want to kill multiple people for whatever reason, but it's a hell of a lot harder to do it with a "30cm hunting knife" than with a military weapon and multiple 30 round mags of 5.56 mm.
@DyDave Are police in Australia generally armed?
They are here in NSW and I think it’s the same in every state.
I imagine it’s an easier decision to run towards a mass killer when you can be 99% sure that your Glock won’t be outgunned by a 5.56 mm rifle or something. That kind of certainty has saved lots of lives.
@DyDave I imagine it is. When I saw the news I recalled that Australia had outlawed assault rifles. I wish we were that smart. I keep my fingers crossed.
@DyDave on the first day of police recruit school, I used to tell them that I hope when the time comes for you to act promptly and save a life—that you do so without waiting for someone braver to show up.
Well, I reckon Inspector Scott followed that to the letter 👍 She didn't hesitate at any point in this whole thing from what they're saying.
She's a senior leader by rank and now a bona fide leader by action too. Her Constables and Sergeants will know 100% that she'll never ask them to do something she wouldn't do.
@DyDave Deepest sympathies for all of you, its a terrible thing to see happen. Hang in there
Now they're reporting that the policewoman who went into the shopping centre to confront and neutralise the knife-wielding killer by herself is an Inspector (a senior rank in NSW Police).
Talk about leading from the front. No dithering about; she just put herself between the murderer and the citizens without delay. Well done, her. 👏