2024 Wakeley church stabbing

2024 Wakeley church stabbing
Map indicating the location of the incident
Location	Christ The Good Shepherd Church, Wakeley, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33.8728°S 150.9062°E / -33.8728; 150.9062
Date	15 April 2024 7:15pm  – (Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10:00))
Attack type	Mass stabbing
Weapon	Knife
Deaths	0
Injured	7 (including alleged perpetrator)
Motive	Terrorism
Accused	Unnamed 15-year-old

On 15 April 2024, in Wakeley, a western suburb of Sydney, Australia, an assailant entered Christ The Good Shepherd Church and stabbed six people, including Assyrian Christian bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. It was the second mass stabbing in the city in three days, following the 2024 Bondi Junction stabbings.

Background

Wakeley hosts a small Christian Assyrian community, many of whom are refugees from Iraq and Syria. A bishop since 2011, Mar Mari Emmanuel broke away from the Ancient Church of the East and established his own denomination. He was also a prominent critic of lockdowns and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic and espoused conservative stances on issues such as LGBT rights. Clips from his live streamed church services have been reuploaded throughout social media and have amassed millions of viewers.

Events

The stabbings took place after 7:00 pm in the suburb of Wakeley, 34 kilometres (21 mi) south-west of the Sydney CBD. An assailant wearing a black jumper reportedly entered Christ The Good Shepherd Church located on Welcome Street and attacked six people with a knife, starting with the bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, whom he approached at the altar and stabbed multiple times in the head and upper body. The event occurred during a live-stream of Emmanuel preaching whom the congregation gathered around after he was stabbed. According to Charbel Saliba, Deputy Mayor of Fairfield, he witnessed the bishop putting his hand over the attacker immediately after being stabbed and said "May the Lord Jesus Christ save you".

Aftermath

Casualties

Five people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, including a man in his 20s, a man in his 30s, a man in his 60s, a priest named Isaac Royel and the bishop. Another man in his 50s who had multiple cuts and said to be in serious condition was taken to Liverpool Hospital, which was placed under a partial lockdown. The alleged assailant was also treated for injuries to his hand. During the events, 11 ambulances were sent to the church.

Suspect

A suspect was subsequently apprehended and taken into custody. The suspect, while currently not named, was reported to be 15-years-old. He was known by the police and was not a parishioner of the church. Footage showed the alleged attacker smiling while held to the floor by a police officer and after being apprehended by churchgoers.

Riots

More than 100 police personnel were deployed to the church. Large crowds gathered outside the church and the hospital, where it seemed that the alleged attacker was being held. The crowds clashed with police and attacked police vehicles. Riot police used pepper spray on the tumultuous crowd outside the church. A number of police officers was injured. Several houses were also broken into. Police operations ended before 1:00 am on 16 April.

Reactions

The Christ the Good Shepherd's administration requested prayers for the victims of the attack as well as the alleged perpetrator in accordance with Bishop Emmanuel and Father Isaac's "wishes". It also called on those that had gathered at the church to "leave in peace".

The attack was condemned by other religious leaders, groups and organisations including the Australian National Imams Council and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry following a meeting with New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who also expressed sympathies with victims and emergency services and called for calm.

Frank Carbone, the mayor of the neighboring community of Fairfield, said the attack and subsequent riot was "a very emotional situation", adding that the community was "very upset" over the incident.