Police Report Stabbing in Perth Committed by Youth Described as “Radicalised”
A ‘radicalised’ 16 year-old male was shot dead by police after allegedly stabbing a man in a Willetton Bunnings carpark.
A 16 year-old youth was shot dead by Western Australia (WA) Police after he called Triple Zero and indicated he planned to commit “acts of violence.” He then reportedly attacked a man with a knife in a Bunnings car park on High Road in the southern Perth suburb of Willetton just after 10 p.m. yesterday (May 4).
A second Triple Zero call was made by a member of the public who witnessed the teen running around the car park with a knife. More than 30 emergency services vehicles arrived on the scene to find a young Caucasian male brandishing a large kitchen knife, Police Commissioner Col Blanch said.
“They instructed the male to put down the knife, which he refused to do,” Mr. Blanch said. Officers attempted to use two tasers, but neither had the desired effect.
“The male continued to advance on the third officer with the firearm, who fired a single shot and fatally wounded him.”
Enrolled in Anti-Extremism Program
The Commissioner mentioned that the alleged attacker was known to police and had both “mental health issues and radicalisation issues.” He added that the young male was participating in the Countering Violent Extremism program and was receiving support from psychologists and faith leaders.
WA Police Minister Paul Papalia highlighted the difficulties of “de-radicalising people,” referring to the challenge of changing individuals who have been radicalised back to a more reasonable path.
WA Premier Roger Cook stated that while the alleged offender was radicalised online by extremist ideology, he acted alone, and the incident is not being labeled as a terrorist event. He commended the WA Muslim community for their alertness and assistance, as they had contacted the police before the incident occurred.
Not a Terrorist Attack ‘at this stage’: Commissioner
Commissioner Blanch confirmed that the incident was not being classified as a terrorist attack at this time. He mentioned that although it had some characteristics of one, additional information on the motivations behind the incident is needed to make a final determination.
The victim is currently hospitalized with a stab wound to the back, in a serious but stable condition. It is reported that he sustained a two-centimeter stab wound to the back that may have punctured a lung.
