April 15 (UPI) -- A bishop leading a service at a suburban Sydney church and three other men were stabbed Monday in the second mass-knifing in the city in three days, authorities said.
The victims, including the bishop officiating at the service at Christ The Good Shepherd in Wakeley in the southwest of Australia's largest city, all suffered non-life threatening injuries and a male suspect is under arrest and being held in custody, New South Wales Police said in a post on X.
"Police remain at the scene of an alleged stabbing at a church in Wakeley in Sydney's southwest. At about 7:10 p.m. police were called to Welcome Street, Wakeley, following reports a number of people were stabbed. Officers attached to Fairfield City Police Area Command, supported by multiple police resources from a number of commands and specialist units attended," police said.
The attack occurred as the service was being live streamed with footage showing a man approaching the altar and lunging at the church minister with a knife before before congregation rushed the assailant and three more people were stabbed in the ensuing mayhem.
The victims were in their 60s, 50s, 30s and 20s with local media identifying the bishop as Mar Mari Emmanuel, the leader of the Assyrian Church of the East in Australia and New Zealand.
Liverpool Hospital where Emmanuel and a man in his 30s were being treated was briefly locked down by police.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that hundreds of angry people had gathered outside the church and authorities were attempting to defuse what was fast becoming a "dangerous situation" amid clashes with police.
Australia was already reeling from the murder of six people in a stabbing rampage at an upscale Sydney shopping mall on Saturday afternoon, including the mother of a nine-month old baby who died trying to protect the infant.
Flags were flying at half-mast across the country Monday as it mourned the tragedy which ended when a female police officer shot dead the assailant.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told his cabinet it was "difficult time for our nation and for Australians" after earlier laying a wreath at the Bondi Junction shopping and transport hub where the attack occurred in the eastern suburbs.
