North Perth axe attack: ‘Heroic’ View Street Medical staff, patients fight off man

Western Australia police have described staff and patients as ‘heroic’ for jumping on a man wielding an axe in a North Perth medical centre on Thursday morning.

The man entered the View Street Medical in North Perth and allegedly struck a female employee, who later needed hospital treatment for serious but not life-threatening injuries.

The 55-year-old armed man was taken into custody by police after the shocking incident and is being questioned.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Batson said patients inside the practise helped to subdue the attacker.

‘Members of the public did detain the male at the time and I’d like to thank them for their heroic actions,’ the West Australian reported him as saying.

‘This is a serious incident … this is very frightening for everybody involved and again I’d like to thank those members of the public who stood up and were able to detain the male.’

Detective Batson said it was not clear if the man was a patient at the clinic or what his motives for the alleged assault were.

The man is expected to be charged later today.  

Forensic officers and other police were still at the scene on Thursday afternoon.