A 16-year-old boy who was shot dead by police after stabbing a man in the Australian city of Perth had been part of a de-radicalisation programme but had no links to an alleged network of teenage extremists in Sydney, authorities said.
The boy had participated in the federally funded Countering Violent Extremism scheme for two years but had no criminal record, Western Australia police minister Paul Papalia said.
He added: “The challenge we confront with people like the 16-year-old in this incident is that he’s known to hold views that are dangerous and potentially he could be radicalised.
About 10.15pm last night, Saturday May 4 2024, police responding to a 000 call encountered a male
armed with a knife in a carpark on High Road in Willetton. pic.twitter.com/hkYdIBW95E— WA Police Force (@WA_Police) May 5, 2024
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“But the problem with individuals like this is they can act at short notice without warning and be very dangerous.”
On the potential for the boy to have been radicalised, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said he was concerned by social media pushing extreme positions.
He told reporters: “It’s a dynamic that isn’t just an issue for government. It’s an issue for our entire society, whether it be violent extremism, misogyny and violence against women. It is an issue that, of course, I’m concerned about.”
Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the boy had phoned police late on Saturday saying he was about to commit “acts of violence” but did not say where. Minutes later, a member of the public reported to police seeing the boy with a knife in a hardware store car park.
Three police officers responded, one armed with a gun and two with stun guns. Police deployed both stun guns but they failed to incapacitate the boy before he was killed by a single gunshot, Mr Blanch said.
The stabbing victim is a man in his 30s who was wounded in the back. He was in serious but stable condition at a Perth hospital, police said.
Mr Blanch said members of the local Muslim community had raised concerns with police about the boy’s behaviour before he was killed on Saturday.
The boy had said in a text message to associates, “I am going on the path of jihad tonight for the sake of Allah,” Australian Associated Press reported, prompting several to alert police.
Police said the stabbing had the hallmarks of a terrorist attack but have not declared it as such.
Factors that can influence that decision include whether state police need federal resources, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation domestic spy agency.
“We are dealing with complex issues, both mental health issues but also online radicalization issues,” Mr Blanch said on Sunday.
“But we believe he very much is acting alone, and we do not have concerns at this time that there is an ongoing network or other concerns that might have been seen over in Sydney.”
