A man has been rushed to hospital with facial injuries after being reportedly attacked with an axe-like object in broad daylight outside a busy shopping centre.
The incident unfolded in front of shocked bystanders at Tweed City in far northern NSW at about 3.30pm on Thursday.
Multiple ambulance and police crews arrived on scene within minutes.
The man. 25, was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition with what one source called a ‘superficial injury’ after being struck by the metal object.
A manhunt has been launched for his attacker.
Tweed Byron Police District Chief Inspector Matt Kehoe assured that there was no threat to the public.
‘It wasn’t a significant incident, albeit a weapon was produced and a person has received some injuries,’ he told reporters.
‘It is always concerning when there is a weapon in a public place but the public can be assured police were there immediately after it was reported and quickly contained the scene.’
A man has suffered facial injuries after being attacked with axe-like object outside Tweed City shopping centre
The alleged weapon has been seized by police for forensic testing.
‘The other male involved has run from the scene and the investigation is still ongoing,’ Inspector Kehoe said.
‘We believe we know who that person is, we ask him to present himself to Tweed Heads Police Station, but we are out there at the moment continuing our inquiries to locate him.
Police are searching for the axe-wielding attacker who injured a man outside a northern NSW shopping centre
Witnesses told Channel Nine the attacker entered a business in the centre yelling at the man about cigarettes before launching into the attack and fleeing the scene.
Shoppers who witnessed the incident expressed their shock and horror on social media, with one writing ‘there was blood everywhere’.
‘Wow just saw the guy … blood everywhere. Was wondering what had happened. Pretty scary stuff,’ one woman wrote.
Another shopper added: ‘I was at Woolies and then walked past the sliding doors about 15 minutes before it happened. Counting my lucky stars.’
Allison Sultana said her son’s mate tried to give first aid to the hurt man, saying the attack occurred outside the Woolworths store.
Shoppers began ‘piling out of the centre’ as news of the attack spread, wrote Sara Georgi who also stated police arrived ‘quickly’ to the scene.
Anyone with phone or dashcam footage is urged contact police or CrimeStoppers.