Wayne Flower,Mark Butler
Herald Sun
December 5,2013
WORSHIPPERS ran for their lives during a stabbing attack during morning prayers that has left one man dead and two seriously hurt at a mosque in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
Horrified witnesses said the attacker went beserk in the Broadmeadows Mosque.
"It was crazy. A rampage," one man said. "Six people locked themselves in the billiard room when they saw the knife and the president was locked in his office."
Several men claimed the attacker was at the mosque with his sister when he went berserk.
"He was asking if people if they were Yahudi (Jewish)," a man said. "He then became agitated and not long after he pulled a knife."
Of the two victims who survived the attack, one remains critically injured, after violence broke out at the mosque in King St, Dallas, just before 11am.
Det Sen-Sgt Stuart Bailey said the shocking attack happened before about 40 members of the mosque.
"Many of those were female and elderly," he said.
It is alleged the 22-year old Broadmeadows man attempted to gain entry into the mosque but was refused because of his agitated state.
"Three people in that mosque tried to prevent his entry - they were all in their 70s - the male has produced a knife and has stabbed all three of those (people)," Sen-Sgt Bailey said.
A sergeant, who was first on the scene, attempted to apprehend the man but was also assaulted.
"Fortunately for police a Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) were also nearby and attended," Sen-Sgt Bailey said.
"They deployed capsicum spray which didn't stop the offender. He's then ran out of the mosque car park into King St where he was tasered by the CRT members."
It took six CRT and two uniformed officers to arrest the alleged killer.
The arrested man remains at St Vincent's Hospital under police guard.
The critically injured victim was being treated at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the other victim has been taken to the Northern Hospital and was in a stable condition.
Homicide squad detectives are at the scene, which was sealed off today.
Witnesses told the Herald Sun that a man turned up at the mosque asking for financial help.
The man, believed to be of Turkish descent and unknown to regulars, allegedly became violent when other worshippers refused to let him enter morning prayers.
A witness claims the man began making racist remarks before pulling out a knife and slashing people.
Police have called on witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
