Priest stabbed during sermon in Sydney’s second knife attack in three days

Police said that “a large police response is underway and the public is urged to avoid the area.”

Police responded to a call about multiple people being stabbed at the church at 7:10 p.m. local time, the New South Wales Police Force said in an update on social media.

“Disturbing scenes tonight in Wakeley,” Chris Minns, the New South Wales premier, said on social media Monday evening. “It’s important that the community remain calm and continue to listen and act to the directions of Police and Emergency Services.”

Minns said that faith and community leaders were calling for people to “follow first responder and police instructions and called for calm in the community.”

Authorities said they arrested one male suspect. None of the wounded have life-threatening injuries, the police said.

The church stabbing followed a fatal incident on Saturday in which a knife-wielding assailant killed six people and injured several others at a mall in the Sydney suburb Bondi Junction before being shot by a police officer.

“A large police response is underway, and the public is urged to avoid the area,” the police said.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was preaching the Assyrian Bible on Monday at 7 p.m., according to Christ The Good Shepherd Church’s Facebook page. A man in dark clothing approached him and repeatedly attacked him with a sharp object, according to a video shared widely on social media. The video has not been verified by the police or The Washington Post.

Before the video pans to the left, obstructing the view of the attack, members of the congregation can be seen rushing toward the bishop. The attack, captured on the live stream that has now been removed from the church’s social media channels, lasted less than eight seconds.

The church did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comments Monday.