The crazed knifeman who allegedly killed a 21-year-old woman in central Sydney and injured another on Tuesday afternoon was found with a thumb drive referencing the Christchurch massacre.
Mert Ney, 21, was found with a USB stick after allegedly slashing the throat of a woman at a King Street apartment and then stabbing another in the back.
The memory stick on the accused attacker – who was pinned down by heroic civilians – included information about massacres in the US and New Zealand’s March attack.
The crazed knifeman who allegedly killed a 21-year-old woman in central Sydney and injured another on Tuesday afternoon was found with a thumb drive referencing global mass shootings
Following the man’s arrest, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the information found on him included reference to March’s Christchurch massacre.
‘There was certainly information found on him about mass casualties around the world,’ he said.
Police said however the alleged attacker from Blacktown in the city’s west did not have links to any terrorist organisations, and acted alone.
‘Information was found on him that would suggest he had some ideologies related to terrorism, but he has no apparent links to terror organisations,’ Mr Fuller said.
Mert Ney, 21, was found with a USB thumbdrive on him after allegedly slashing the throat of a woman at a King Street hotel and then stabbing another in the back (pictured footage taken by a passenger in a car at the scene of a man with a knife)
Footage showed the alleged attacker being pinned to the ground by hero bystanders carrying milk crates
The deceased woman, whose body was found inside a Clarence Street apartment, is understood to be a sex worker and known to her alleged killer.
Witnesses have reported the alleged attacker was muttering religious slogans including ‘Allahu Akbar’, but police have said it is too early to comment on their ideology.
Commissioner Fuller added the suspect had been known to police, although his prior history did not compare to his alleged actions in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.
The alleged attacker is expected to be charged later on Tuesday evening.
Medication was found close to the alleged attacker, identified as a drug used to combat anti-anxiety called Antenex, Channel Seven reported.
A spokesman for the city’s St Vincent hospital said the 41-year-old woman injured in the alleged attack was in a stable condition.
Dramatic footage showed the man, wearing a grey hooded jumper and holding a large knife, jumping on top of a Mercedes while screaming ‘shoot me in the head’ at about 2pm on Tuesday.
Stunned onlookers were scene frozen in the street as the man with a knife began his stabbing rampage through the streets
Brave witnesses were able to tackle the man and pin his head down with a milk crate until police arrived and arrested him as hundreds of workers gathered.
In other footage, the alleged attacker was seen running down the pavement and at one point kicked a parked bicycle at a member of the public.
Police praised on Tuesday evening civilians, fire fighters and ambulance staff for preventing ‘what could have been a much worse situation’.
Officers on Tuesday evening were searching the alleged attacker’s home in Blacktown
Commissioner Fuller said authorities had little doubt the death of the woman in the hotel and the stabbing spree on the street were linked.
‘All the information we have at hand would link these two crimes,’ he said.
Officers on Tuesday evening were searching the alleged attacker’s home in Blacktown.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who is currently in London, said her thoughts were with the deceased.
One person was injured and taken to hospital in a stable condition following the incident on Tuesday. Emergency crews rushed to help the victims
‘I want to acknowledge the very brave passersby who obviously tried to intervene and our thoughts are with the victims and everyone who witnessed this horrific incident,’ she said.
‘Do you know how many people you just stabbed, you dog? You just stabbed a chick, mate, in broad daylight,’ one of the men was heard screaming during the arrest.
Moments before the attacker was arrested, another woman was found inside the Hotel CBD with a stab wound and taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Witness Jess Warren, 28, said she was was having lunch at the Regiment CBD cafe when the knife man was finally arrested.
Police said residents of the Hotel CBD unit block will not be able to return to their homes for several hours while forensic police work at the scene.
One witness who lived at the apartment block next door told The Sydney Morning Herald he heard a woman screaming inside Clarence House apartments and officers then struggled to enter the building.
‘The officer and the young man tried to gain the attention of those inside by pressing on multiple apartment buzzers.
‘Soon after a young woman came to the door, a mobile phone in one hand. Visibly distressed, the woman appealed to the officer: “you’ve got to help me.”‘
A man wearing a grey hoodie covered in blood wielding a large knife could be seen yelling in the street as hundreds of people fled for their lives
The Transport Management Centre urged motorists to avoid King Street – south of the city’s Wynyard Station – following the alleged attack on Tuesday afternoon
A woman on a stretcher is being taken away in an ambulance from the scene of a stabbing in Sydney
‘He was trying to smash a driver-side window of a random car with the knife. He was unsuccessful.
‘People were chasing him by that stage. There was fireys chasing him with axes and he went around the corner.’
Adrian Papaianni was walking along Clarence Street when when he suddenly heard terrified screams.
‘There were a stack of people running down Barrack Place saying that there was a guy with a knife,’ he told news.com.au.
Dramatic picture taken by a tourist in the back seat of a cab shows the crazed knifeman carrying a 30cm blade as a middle aged businessman attempts to bring him to the ground with a chair
By Hannah Moore For Daily Mail Australia
A gripping photograph shows the moment a brave onlooker holding a wicker chair prepared himself to restrain a crazed knifeman in the Sydney CBD.
The man can be seen outside the Hotel CBD on King Street, as the knifeman, believed to be about 25, clutches his knife tightly.
Pictured: The moment a brave onlooker prepares to restrain a crazed knifeman on a city road
The picture was taken by tech worker Ayusha, who was on holiday in Sydney.
‘We just came across the guy with a knife on the street,’ she captioned the image. ‘Apparently he had some blood on his shirt. We are all safe in the car.’
The knifeman was seen jumping on top of a black Mercedes shouting ‘Allahu Akhbar’ and brandishing his weapon moments before the businessman ran towards him with a chair.
‘Oi,’ the businessman yelled, ready with his chair.
‘Shoot me, shoot me in the f***ing head,’ the knifeman yelled as he stormed through the intersection.
‘I ran into the Woolworths and people inside got them to shut the glass doors. I was feeling OK until I saw a mother crying with her baby in her hands, trying to get into the Woolies.
‘Police started arriving about a minute later and started to chase him.’
An Uber driver said the knifeman jumped on the bonnet of his car with a knife in his hand and blood on his shirt.
The area has been blocked off by police while investigations continue on Tuesday afternoon
He told 2GB: ‘I was next to a fire truck in York Street and he jumped on the bonnet of my car. He crashed across the bonnet and had a knife in his hand.
‘There was blood on his shirt. People had their phones out and there was a police’.
A woman at the scene told Daily Mail Australia: ‘A crazy man is running around Wynyard with a knife stabbing people.
‘My work colleague’s boyfriend was standing right next to the guy who was stabbed. Has the world gone mad?’