Sydney church attack: Bishop stabbed during evening prayer. What we know so far

This incident occurred just 48 hours after a tragic event where six individuals were killed by a deranged knifeman at Westfield Bondi Junction.

In yet another tragic incident in Sydney on Monday, a bishop and multiple worshippers were reportedly attacked during a Monday evening sermon at the Good Shepherd Church in Sydney's suburbian city of Wakeley. The bishop was stabbed by the assailant multiple times.

A man stabs Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a church service at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, Sydney(Reuters)

As the bishop fell to the floor following the attack on him, multiple other worshippers were heard screaming and rushing to his aid.

What we know so far?

• Four people are being treated for "non-life threatening injuries" after the stabbing incident. The ambulance service told AFP that four men aged between 20 and 70 were being treated for injuries, including lacerations.
• Police officials have arrested a man in connection with the incident.
• "The injured individuals suffered non-life threatening injuries and were treated by New South Wales Ambulance paramedics before being conveyed to hospital," police said.
• The incident occurred just 48 hours after a tragic event where six individuals were killed by a deranged knifeman at Westfield Bondi Junction in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney.
• The Wakely neighbourhood is a hub for Sydney's small Christian Assyrian community, many of whom fled persecution and war in Iraq and Syria.

Earlier on Saturday, six people were killed in a stabbing attack in a Sydney mall. A single person went on a stabbing spree in the mall attacking nine people before a cop shot at him. New South Wales Police identified the attacker as Joel Cauchi.

NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke told reporters at a media conference on Sunday that Cauchi suffered from unspecified mental health issues and police investigators weren’t treating the attack as terrorism-related.

“We are continuing to work through the profiling of the offender but very clearly to us at this stage it would appear that this is related to the mental health of the individual involved,” Cooke said.

(With inputs from Reuters)