A 16-year-old boy was shot dead by police in Perth, Australia, after he stabbed a man in the back in a parking lot of a hardware store. The incident is being treated as a terrorism-related attack, with authorities stating that the boy appeared to have been radicalized online.
The victim, a man in his 30s, was taken to the hospital and is reported to be in stable condition. Authorities received calls from members of the local Muslim community before the attack, raising concerns about the boy’s behavior.
One shot
The police responded to the scene and attempted to subdue the boy with tasers, but when that failed, they shot him with a gun. The incident is being investigated by the police and intelligence agencies, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stating that there is no ongoing threat.
The imam of Perth’s largest mosque, Syed Wadood Janud, condemned the attack and commended the local Muslim community for flagging the boy’s behavior to the police. The incident is the latest in a series of knife attacks in Australia in recent weeks, including the stabbing of an Assyrian Christian bishop in Sydney and a stabbing spree that killed six in Bondi.
Despite the recent incidents, Australia consistently ranks among the safest countries in the world, with gun and knife crime being rare. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to the police.
Extremism
The attack in Perth is particularly concerning for authorities due to the apparent radicalization of the teenager online. The rise of online extremism has become a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies around the world, as it can be challenging to monitor and detect individuals who have been radicalized through the internet.
In response to the incident, the Australian government has reiterated its commitment to fighting violent extremism and terrorism. The country has a robust counterterrorism framework, which includes measures to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks. The government has also established programs to support communities affected by violent extremism and to help individuals who have been radicalized to disengage from extremist ideologies.