The stabbing of a bishop by a 16-year-old boy during a livestreamed service Monday in Sydney is being treated as an act of terrorism, authorities said.
Police arrested the boy Tuesday after the attack at Christ the Good Shepherd Church. Authorities had said the boy was 15. New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the suspect’s comments pointed to a religious motive for the attack.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a livestreamed sermon, and another priest was injured. Both are expected to survive.
The New South Wales Police Force said earlier in an update on X that it responded to a call from a church in Wakekly, a suburb west of Sydney, at 7:10 p.m. local time (5:39 a.m. ET) Monday, where there were reports that "a number of people were stabbed."
Hundreds of angry people rushed to the scene, and some clashed with riot police, with vehicles damaged. The church and local leaders pleaded for calm.
Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Holland commended the congregation for subduing the teen before calling police. Asked whether the teen’s fingers had been severed, he said the hand injuries were “severe.”
More than 100 police reinforcements arrived before the teen was taken from the church in the hourslong incident. Several police vehicles were damaged, Holland said.
“A number of houses have been damaged. They’ve broken into a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police. They’ve thrown weapons and items at the church itself. There were obviously people who wanted to get access to the young person who caused the injuries to the clergy people,” he said.
Emmanuel and priest Isaac Royel, as well as the teen and at least two police officers, were hospitalized, Holland told journalists.
A video shared widely on social media appears to show a priest being stabbed repeatedly, while delivering a sermon, by a man in a black T-shirt who is then tackled by members of the congregation. The church routinely livestreams its services and events.
Holland commended the congregation for subduing the teen before calling police. When asked if the teen’s fingers had been severed, he said the hand injuries were “severe.”
More than 100 police reinforcements arrived before the teen was taken from the church in the hourslong incident. Several police vehicles were damaged, Holland said.
“A number of houses have been damaged. They’ve broken into a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police. They’ve thrown weapons and items at the church itself. There were obviously people who wanted to get access to the young person who caused the injuries to the clergy people,” he said.
A subsequent video taken by a churchgoer showed people helping the bishop as he lay on the floor.
Police said the incident took place on Welcome Street, where Christ the Good Shepherd Church, which follows Assyrian Orthodox Christianity, is located. The church advertised an "Assyrian Bible Preaching" event Monday night with Emmanuel.
The church said the bishop and a senior priest were in stable condition at a hospital and asked for people’s prayers. “It is the bishop’s and father’s wishes that you also pray for the perpetrator,” the church said in a statement on social media “We also kindly ask anyone at the church premises to leave in peace.”
The NSW Ambulance service said that it treated a man in his 50s for multiple cuts and that three other people were treated for one or more cuts.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, police said, and the victims were being treated by paramedics. A male was arrested and was “assisting police with inquiries,” the New South Wales police statement noted earlier.
The premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, described the scenes as “disturbing” on social media and urged the community to remain calm and “stick together.” Religious leaders expressed shock and condolences.
Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone, leader of the neighboring municipal government, described the bishop as a community leader. “This is a very emotional situation. Obviously the community is very upset,” Carbone told Sky News.
It comes after Saturday's attack at the Westfield Bondi shopping mall in Sydney, which killed six people and injured nine.
Police said earlier Monday that they were examining why the lone assailant in that attack had targeted women while avoiding men, and the killer’s father blamed his son’s frustration at not having a girlfriend.
