King Charles and Queen Camilla have expressed their shock and condolences following a stabbing spree at a shopping centre in Bondi Junction, Sydney, that resulted in the deaths of six people. The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Kate Middleton, also shared their grief and praised the bravery of emergency responders in statements released by Buckingham Palace. The incident occurred on a Saturday afternoon at the Westfield shopping centre where a 40-year-old male attacker was shot and killed by a female police inspector after he threatened her with a knife. The confrontation and the inspector’s brave actions were captured in video footage that has been widely circulated online.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb stated that the attacker, who was known to police, acted alone and the incident is not believed to be terrorism-related. The victims included four women and a man who were pronounced dead at the scene, and another woman who later died in hospital. An infant was also critically injured and underwent surgery following the attack. The community and authorities are currently dealing with the aftermath of the violence, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing to formally identify the perpetrator and understand the motivations behind the attack. The royal family’s messages underscored their sympathy for the victims’ families and recognition of the community’s resilience.