April 27th 2024.
A father was out running errands, his 18-month-old son snuggled in his arms, when they were suddenly caught in a terrifying situation on Victoria's surf coast. As captured by CCTV footage, a man wielding a knife began attacking customers in the store, causing chaos and panic. Thankfully, the police were able to apprehend the assailant before anyone was seriously injured.
According to a witness, the father was heard repeatedly saying, "I don't know this guy, I've done nothing wrong." It was a frightening and confusing experience for him, but his primary concern was protecting his young child. Jo Saliaris, a pharmacy dispensary technician, shared her own reaction to the incident, saying, "I was just worried about the little boy."
The CCTV footage, obtained by 9News, showed the man wearing a puffer jacket lunging towards multiple customers, including a man holding a young child. Sally Irwin, a pharmacy assistant, shared that the store was bustling with customers at the time of the attack, and the staff were understandably fearful after the man made a threatening comment before fleeing the scene.
"He said he was coming back to get us all, so we quickly locked the doors," Irwin recounted. "We were all shocked and worried about what might happen next." Saliaris also expressed her concern, stating, "We didn't know if he would come back with a gun."
The man, who is in his 50s, managed to escape the store and made his way into a nearby Woolworths before eventually being caught by the police in a nearby residential area. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation, and it was later revealed that he had also stabbed someone on Zeally Bay Road before entering the pharmacy.
Thankfully, the victim of the stabbing only sustained minor injuries and was treated by paramedics at the scene. The incident left many customers and staff members shaken, especially since the perpetrator was known to frequent the pharmacy. As investigations into the attack continue, authorities urge anyone in need of support to contact organizations such as Beyond Blue, Lifeline, or MensLine Australia for assistance.
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