Knife Scare at Perth Shopping Centre

A hunting knife is held at a film and television prop company in London. Ian Waldie/Getty Images

Just two weeks after shoppers were stabbed and killed at Sydney’s Bondi Junction shopping centre, Western Australian police swiftly responded to reports of a person armed with a knife at Karrinyup shopping centre, in Perth’s northern suburbs.

A male youth allegedly pulled a knife and threatened staff when he was challenged as he was attempting to steal from the Myer department store around 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. He ran from the store and through the centre, with a knife in hand, alarming shoppers.

A woman, who was also at the Myer when the robbery occurred, said the store issued a “code brown”—nationally recognised as indicating mass casualty events or disasters.

“I heard a scream somewhere outside … We were then told by staff that something very serious had happened in the centre and that we had to run and hide,” she told media at the time.

Offender Arrested, Knife Secured

Several police cars arrived at the scene and the offender was arrested on Karrinyup Road shortly after. A police spokeswoman said the knife had since been located and secured.

“There is no ongoing threat to the community,” she said.

One shopper told Seven News that she heard the cashier yell that the youth had a knife.

“Everything was just normal until we heard a female voice yelling out something along the lines of ‘Help! Stop him, Stop him!’ And then it was a scream of security … and then we heard her say ‘he’s got a knife.’”

“People from the same floor as us in kitchenware came running across to children’s ware and there was a lot of panic, a lot of people moving and pushing a bit.”

The store remained closed as Myer staff were being debriefed.

A Myer spokesperson thanked their staff for how they responded to the incident.

“The safety and wellbeing of our customers and team members is our absolute priority and we thank our team for the way they responded to this incident today,” he said.

“We are providing every support available to our team members and are also working with police on any information they need.”

The incident occurred just two weeks after six people were killed when 40-year-old Joel Cauchi went on a violent stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13.

Twelve others were injured, with some needing to be hospitalised with extensive injuries—including the nine-month-old baby of victim Ash Good.

City of Wanneroo councillor Helen Berry posted on Facebook following the incident on Saturday.

“Hope all those shopping in Myers Karrinyup are safe as police within the last hour have swarmed the Karrinyup Shopping Centre after a juvenile allegedly brandished a knife as he attempted to steal from the Myers store,” she said.