A 16-year-old boy has been shot dead by police following an alleged stabbing at a car park in Perth. The state’s premier claimed there were “indications” that the teen was “radicalised online.” However, police have not labelled the incident as a terrorist attack at this stage.
WA police reported they’d received a call from a teenager after 10pm on Saturday who said they were going to “commit acts of violence”.
Shortly after the first call, emergency services were alerted with reports of a man who’d been stabbed in the back at a car park on High Road in Willetton.
Police claim that more than 30 patrol cars including emergency services arrived on the scene and were met with a 16-year-old boy wielding a large kitchen knife.
After attempts of trying to disarm the teen with the use of two taser, police claim that the teen “continued to advance” towards an officer before being fatally shot.
According to Police Commissioner Col Blanch, two police officers drew tasers and one had used his firearm.
“They challenged the male to put down the knife, to which he did not comply,” Blanch said, as per 9News, adding that both tasers had been deployed but none had the “full desired effect”.
“The male continued to advance on the third officer with the firearm, who fired a single shot and fatally wounded the male.”
Following his recollection of the events, the commissioner also said that the teen was known to police and had both “mental health issues and radicalisation issues”, and has been was attending a program about online radicalisation for the “last couple of years”.
The teen was also not known to the man.
WA Premier Roger Cooke said that there were “indications the teen had been radicalised online” but assured that it appears that he acted alone.
Cooke also thanked the WA Muslim community who had alerted authorities prior to the alleged stabbing, with concerns over the teen’s behaviour.
“Members of the WA Muslim community who were concerned by his behaviour contacted police prior to the incident and I thank them for their help,” Cooke said.
“Our police responded within minutes. They encountered a very confronting situation.
“But their rapid and professional response kept our community safe.
“My heart goes out to everyone affected by this incident.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared a statement to X (formerly Twitter), sharing that his “thoughts are with those who have been affected by the incident in the Perth suburb of Willetton overnight”.
“I have spoken with WA Premier Roger Cook this morning, and I thank the WA Police for acting swiftly to contain the incident,” Albanese wrote.
“I’ve also received a briefing on the situation by the ASIO Director-General and the AFP Commissioner, and I’m advised there is no ongoing threat to the community on the information available. We are a peace-loving nation and there is no place for violent extremism in Australia.”
As of writing, the man who’d been stabbed is currently in a hospital in serious but stable condition.
- If you need mental health support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online.
- Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
- If you require immediate assistance, please call 000
Image source: 9News.
