(IntegrityPress.org) – A bishop and a few of his flock were the victims of a rampaging stabbing attack in Sydney, Australia just after 7 p.m. local time on Monday, April 15. Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was giving an in-person and online sermon at Christ The Good Shepard Church in Wakeley when a man approached the altar and unleashed a volley of stabbing blows, striking Emmanuel in the head, chest, and arms.
Footage of the incident went viral and was caught on video as Emmanuel was live-streaming at the time. The attacker caught him completely by surprise with multiple blows landing within seconds, the faithful rushed to intervene and restrain the psychotic man. No one was killed. The man was seen smiling while being held down.
The attack followed an earlier stabbing attack in Sydney that resulted in the deaths of six people. The attacker was also shot to death by a police officer mid-rampage. A 9-month old child was also injured and is continuing to recover. Police said that that attack wasn’t terrorism related.
The more recent attack had the local populace literally up-in-arms and demanding police turn over the suspect to them for some good old fashioned biblical justice. Chants of “an eye for an eye” could be heard among the estimated 2,000 locals that gathered outside the church in the immediate aftermath.
Some even turned violent, lobbing bottles and rocks at the authorities who attempted to protect the suspect from the mob.
NSW authorities confirmed that four were injured in the attack and were receiving medical treatment. They were described as in stable condition. The church issued a statement asking the crowd to disperse by 10:30p.m. Police were entirely outnumbered.
Windows were smashed at the church as well as on police vehicles. They eventually had to use tear gas and an armored vehicle to extract the suspect.
A local woman described the scene as a riot and said she was hit by someone throwing a log. Police told her to move and hide shortly thereafter. She described Emmanuel as “the nicest guy you’ll ever meet,” and further called him “an angel.”
Police will investigate the attack as a possible incident of terrorism.
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