Indian shot dead by Australian cops in Sydney

The counter-terrorism unit has joined the investigation as the attacker tried to attack the police.

The Australian Police shot dead an Indian on Tuesday after he allegedly stabbed a cleaner and threatened police officers with a knife.

The attacker has been identified as Mohamed Rahmathullah Syed Ahmed. The 32-year old youth hailed from Tamil Nadu and was living in Auburn on a bridging visa, Sydney Herald reported.

According to the report, Ahmed attacked the 28-year-old cleaner named Syed at Auburn train station in Sydney's west at 12.03 am on Tuesday before arriving at Auburn police station about five minutes later. Indian Consulate General in Australia, as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald, said, "The incident is extremely disturbing and unfortunate. We have formally taken up the matter with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, NSW Office as well as state police authorities."

Following the reports of the stabbing, two officers tried to leave the police station and they were confronted by Ahmed who tried to attack them. This forced the senior officer to fire three shots, two of which hit Syed Ahmed in the chest. A probationary constable used her Taser on the man, ANI reported citing the Australian publication.

Detectives are investigating whether mental health played a role in the incident. According to detectives, Ahmed stabbed a cleaner and then threatened police officers with a knife before being fatally shot by the police.

Syed was treated on the sport by paramedics and rushed to Westmead Hospital. He was pronounced dead just after 1:30 am, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. It is reported that the deceased had five previous interactions with police, all of which were non-criminal and COVID related.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith told the media that the cops shot him dead as the officers had only seconds to respond. "I fully support these officers. It's traumatic. It's a significant incident at one of our police stations," he said. "There just isn't an impending time. It is immediate. He launches through the glass doors at the officers; they had very little time to react."

The counter-terrorism unit has joined the investigation as the attacker tried to attack the police. "It's part of our model in terms of response. Obviously, when someone armed themselves with a knife and stabs an individual and then tries to attack police, which is the CCTV footage, [it] is highly concerning. When that's involved, it triggers a number of intelligence responses and investigative responses which we're dealing with," Smith said.