Bourke Street mall attacker, who died after being shot, was known to police

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Police are treating an attack at Bourke Street mall in Melbourne in which one person was stabbed to death and two others injured as a terrorist incident.

The man, identified as Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, 30, drove a 4x4 truck loaded with gas bottles into the city centre, ignited the vehicle in a ball of flames and then attacked passers-by with a knife.

He was shot by police at the scene of the attack and died in hospital on Friday night.

Counter-terrorism investigators were raiding two addresses in Werribee and Meadows Heights on Saturday morning, police said.

Graham Ashton, the chief commissioner of Victoria police, said the attacker was also known to federal intelligence agencies but was not being actively monitored.

“He is someone that is known to us but we certainly haven’t had any information of recent times that would suggest he he was planning anything, or that he had the intent to do what he did last night, unfortunately,” Ashton said.

Police said they had spoken to Shire Ali’s wife.

Ashton said firefighters found barbecue-style gas cylinders in the vehicle.



He said there were no indications that the trial of James Gargasoulas, who entered 33 pleas of not guilty over a car attack that killed six and injured dozens on Bourke Street last year, was the motivation for this incident.

The Victorian government’s counter terrorism subcommittee of cabinet was due to meet at 9am on Saturday to discuss the attack.

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said Melbournians were going about their business as normal and people could expect to see an increased police presence in the city and at major events including the Flemington races and Armistice centenary commemorations.

“Our city and state is stronger than this act of evil. We will not be defined by it,” he told the Nine Network.

Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and saw the car burst into flames outside a Target store on Bourke Street at about 4.20pm.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Police guard the site where a man attacked others in Melbourne. Photograph: Xinhua/Barcroft Images

Witnesses said the attacker stabbed the victim, believed to be aged in his 60s, in the face. The victim died at the scene despite desperate efforts to save him.

The other two victims, both men, are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.

One of the victims, is Tasmanian retiree Rod Patterson, 58, who had just returned from a holiday overseas and had intervened to try and stop the attack, The Mercury newspaper reported.

His wife Maree thanked well-wishers in a Facebook post.

“Unfortunately we got caught up in the attack in Bourke Street this afternoon and Rodney was hurt — good news is he is in a great hospital and doing OK given the circumstances — can’t take calls at the moment but will speak to everyone when I can,” she wrote.

“Thanks to everyone for their wishes and caring.”

Civilians used a cafe chair and a shopping trolley to help police stop the man’s attack.

The attacker had history of minor drug, theft and driving offences, lived in Melbourne’s north-western suburbs and came to Australia from Somalia in the 1990s, Ashton said.

Islamic State later claimed the attack via its Amaq media agency, but there was no independent corroboration of the group’s claim.

Ashton said there was “a lot more work” to be done at the crime scene and Bourke Street would probably remain cordoned off until 9am on Saturday. He said police were not aware of any continuing threat.

Footage circulating on social media showed a man advancing towards police officers after the vehicle exploded and attempting to stab them, and then falling backwards after what sounded like a gunshot. One of the officers had their weapon drawn.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest An officer guards deserted street in Melbourne after attack, which is being treated as a terrorist incident. Photograph: Xinhua/Barcroft Images

The altercation was filmed from multiple angles by several bystanders. Ashton contradicted social media reports that the attacker had yelled “Allahu Akbar” [God is greatest].

“A four-wheel drive utility [vehicle] drove into Bourke Street between Russell Street and Swanston Street and parked there,” Ashton said.

“One male person was in the vehicle. A fire was then started in that vehicle. He got out of the vehicle, engaged with some members of the public at that location. Almost within a minute, Victorian police officers were in attendance in an unmarked vehicle.

“If there are witnesses to this event, eyewitnesses, we would like to talk with them and we’d ask if they could attend any of our police stations.”

Aaksh Verma, a witness, was working when he heard a bang. He said he went outside and saw a vehicle in flames travelling towards Target. Then the police arrived. “A black guy came towards the cops as the cops were staying inside the car,” Verma said. “I’m not sure if he opened the door or if the cop opened the door.”

Once the door of the car was open and while the police officer was still sitting down, the man began stabbing him with something sharp, Verma said. He was not sure if the man made contact with the police officer, or if the officer’s vest prevented him from being stabbed. The officer’s partner got out from the other side of the vehicle and came around to intervene. “He [the man] backed off,” the witness said.

The officers attempted to use pepper spray and a stun gun to subdue the man to little effect, Verma said.

“The person didn’t look like he wanted to run away, he wanted to stay and fight,” he said. “He was saying nothing. He had like a million chances to run away, there are many laneways.”

Verma said bystanders then attempted to help while the police waited for backup, one armed with a trolley and another armed with a chair.

Trolley man: passers-by use chair and trolley to try to take down Melbourne attacker Read more

Andrews has offered condolences to the family of the dead victim and says thoughts and prayers are with those injured.

He said anyone affected by the incident should contact Lifeline, Griefline and Beyond Blue.

The Victoria opposition leader, Matthew Guy, who will face off against Andrews at the state election on 24 November, said authorities needed to “eradicate this kind of behaviour”.

“All the resources of our state should be directed towards keeping Victorians safe,” he said. “When there is a terrorism incident, there can be no moral squeamishness.”

Guy reacted angrily when a journalist asked if he was politicising the issue, saying: “I find it confronting that you would ask me whether or not I would use any person’s death to a political advantage.”

Witnesses said the police were at the scene within minutes. Neil McKeller, who works at a bookshop on Bourke Street, told Guardian Australia: “We heard the explosion and we heard gunshots later. We heard it but we didn’t know what it was.”

Surrounding buildings went into lockdown and the police blocked off sections of Bourke Street and Swanston Street, halting trams.

Meegan May, who was travelling on a tram when the incident occurred, told the ABC: “A couple of people on the trams were saying someone had a knife, and when I got up and looked through the rear window, I could see a big ute on fire driving across the road.

“It sort of came to a stop on the other side, and then I could see a man and two police sort of trying to calm him down. He was waving his arms around, someone was saying he had a knife – I couldn’t tell from where I was.”