Plympton real estate: Woman in her 30s is stabbed to death and another injured in ‘random attack’ – as cops arrest a man ‘calmly’ sitting at the scene allegedly brandishing a hammer

A woman is dead and another is in hospital after a man allegedly stormed into a real estate office and stabbed the pair in a ‘random’ attack.

The man, who was also allegedly armed with a hammer, was seen entering REAL Estate Agents Group on Lydia Street in Adelaide’s Plympton about 3.40pm on Wednesday.

Emergency services raced to the area soon after where a man was found ‘calmly’ waiting outside while the grievously injured women remained indoors. 

Paramedics attempted to revive a woman in her 30s for more than an hour with the help of a specialist Medstar team, but she died shortly after at the scene. 

Police arrested a 30-year-old man, who was not known to either of them and is expected to be charged with murder. 

The surviving woman, who is in her 40s, was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with critical injuries where she has since undergone emergency surgery. 

Witnesses told 9News that they were helpless to do anything besides listen on as they heard screaming begin as soon as the man entered the building.

‘I just hear some lady screaming and I listen to the door as it just crashed closed,’ one woman said.

‘To stand here and watch has been really scary and horrifying to see,’ another added. 

The real estate building is located next to a supermarket carpark where families were among those who watched the tragic events unfold. 

Two witnesses said that the man was ‘calm’ and able to be talked down before police arrived, stating that he allegedly dropped his hammer and sat outside. 

Major crime detectives and forensic investigators are now surrounding the area on Lydia Street which has since been closed. 

One woman in her 30s died at the scene and another in her 40s was taken to hospital with serious injuries. A 30-year-old man was arrested and is expected to be charged with murder 

In a press conference on Wednesday night, Detective Chief Inspector Kieran Baggoley said the man in custody was known to police.

‘At this stage it is very early in the investigation [but] it is expected that this is a random attack,’ he said.

‘There is no information to suggest it is anything other than that. 

‘There is no motive related to robbery that we have identified at this time.’ 

Det Chief Insp Baggoley added that a knife and a small hammer had been recovered from the scene and that forensics officers would remain there overnight.

Police have asked the public to avoid the area which is about 6.6km from the Adelaide CBD. 

Officers allege a man was seen wandering around Lydia Street and Anzac Highway prior to the attack and have asked anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. 

SA Health has confirmed that the man who was taken into custody was recently released from an intensive treatment order on Monday.

The chief psychiatrist will review the case.