In a distressing incident in Perth, Western Australia, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot by police after he attacked and stabbed a man with a kitchen knife. The confrontation occurred in Willetton, a southern suburb of Perth, following a series of urgent calls to the police late on Saturday.
Details of the Incident
The episode began when police received a call from the teenager himself, alerting them to his intentions to commit acts of violence. Shortly thereafter, another call reported a male brandishing a knife in a local car park. Upon arriving at the scene, three officers confronted the armed teenager. Initially, two officers attempted to subdue him using Tasers, but when these efforts failed and the boy continued to advance, a third officer resorted to using lethal force, shooting the teen once, resulting in his death.
Victim and Assailant
The stabbed victim, who had no prior connection to the attacker, was urgently transported to a hospital and remains in a serious but stable condition. The young assailant was also taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Background and Investigation
Authorities noted that there were indications the teenager had been radicalized online. He had been engaged in an anti-radicalisation program for several years, which aimed to counter extremist ideologies due to his “complex issues”. Police Commissioner Col Branch addressed the media, noting the incident bore the “hallmarks of terrorism,” though he refrained from officially declaring it a terrorist attack at this stage.
The community and law enforcement are now grappling with the aftermath of this tragedy as investigations continue to uncover the motives and circumstances leading up to the fatal shooting.
Also learn about Catastrophic Floods and Landslides Ravage Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.