What we know so far

Cooke said preliminary inquiries indicated the man acted alone. “I am content that there is no continuing threat [to the community],” he said.

While police were not ruling anything out at these early stages, “there’s nothing we are aware of at the scene that would indicate any motive or any ideology”, Cooke said.

A witness told Nine News the man looked “scattered and chaotic … he wasn’t going for anyone personally, you could tell it looked quite random, he was just running around with his knife”.

What happens next?
Police have promised a “lengthy and precise” investigation. They were due to give a further update at 8.30pm on Saturday night.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has discussed the incident with Australian Federal Police commissioner Reece Kershaw and the director-general of ASIO, Mike Burgess.

At a joint press conference with Albanese in Canberra, Kershaw said it was too early to give any assessment about whether terrorism was the attacker’s motive, but “all the agencies are working together to make that assessment”.

Albanese cautioned against pre-emptive speculation. “This was a horrific act of violence indiscriminately targeted at innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday, doing their shopping,” he said.

Premier Chris Minns, who was on his first day of two weeks leave and travelling overseas on Saturday, said he was horrified by the events and would immediately return to Sydney.

“I want to thank NSW Police, emergency services and first responders and the community for their bravery in the face of this shocking incident,” he said.