Teen’s knife incident sparks urgent call for public safety measures in shopping centres

A leisurely day of shopping, a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life, abruptly transforms into a scene of distress and concern as an alarming event disrupts the tranquillity.

In the bustling shopping centre on the NSW Central Coast, where aisles are typically filled with the hum of conversation and the clink of shopping bags, the atmosphere is suddenly charged with tension and apprehension.

What should have been a relaxing excursion quickly turns into a moment of unease, leaving shoppers on edge and prompting a swift response from authorities.


The tranquillity of a routine shopping day was shattered when a teenage girl brandished a knife near a Kmart store.

The alarming event, which took place around 12:30 pm on Tuesday at a centre in Goobarabah Ave, Lake Haven, prompted an immediate lockdown as Tuggerah Lakes police officers swiftly responded to the scene.


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A teenage girl pulled out a knife near a Kmart store in a shopping centre on the NSW Central Coast, leading to a lockdown. Credits: Facebook / Sunrise


Thankfully, no members of the public were threatened during the incident.

The situation was quickly brought under control as the knife was secured and the girl was taken to hospital for an assessment.

The motives behind her actions remain unclear, but the incident has reignited discussions about public safety and the prevalence of knife-related crimes in the community.


Former NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing spoke on Sunrise about the incident.

‘There’s no excuse for somebody to carry a knife in public unless they have a lawful reason, like employment,’ Mr Willing asserted.

‘There is no reason for somebody to carry a knife for self-defence and those sorts of things. (Incidents involving a knife are) horrific, it is confronting.’

‘We have seen the loss of life which has been absolutely tragic across the country in recent weeks. We don’t want that to continue,’ he added.

In response to the growing concern over knife violence, NSW is set to adopt new ‘wanding’ powers under Jack's Lawnamed in memory of 17-year-old Jack Beasley, who was fatally stabbed on the Gold Coast in 2019.


Premier Chris Minns announced the government's commitment to implementing the law following a series of high-profile knife attacks, including one at Westfield Bondi Junction that resulted in six fatalities.

These new powers have been hailed as a success in Queensland, where police officers are authorised to use hand-held metal detectors without warrants in designated areas.

Since its introduction in March 2023, more than 500 weapons have been confiscated from the streets, showcasing the effectiveness of the reforms.

‘In recent weeks and months, we have all borne witness to the devastating outcomes of knife-related violence,’ Premier Minns pointed out.

‘NSW will simply not accept these kinds of crimes.’


Under the proposed NSW plans revealed on May 6, police will have the authority to search individuals without a warrant in specific areas, including transport hubs, shopping centres, and nightlife and entertainment precincts.

According to them, the power can be wielded ‘in circumstances where a relevant weapons offence/knife crime have occurred within the past six months’.

Additionally, the reforms will make it illegal to sell knives to anyone under the age of 18, with exceptions for those requiring a knife for work or study purposes.

Mick Willing expressed his approval of Jack's Law, saying, ‘Anything we can do to take knives off the street, stop people being injured and in some cases killed, is a positive.’


The shocking incident at the NSW Central Coast shopping centre rattles the community's sense of security and serves as a grim reminder of the increasing concerns surrounding public safety, particularly in densely populated areas.

Just days before, another stabbing incident sent shockwaves through a different shopping centre in Melbourne, further highlighting the urgency of addressing violence in public spaces.

The unsettling trend of such incidents underscores the need for vigilance among shoppers, especially seniors, who frequent these areas for their daily needs.
Key Takeaways
  • A teenage girl brandished a knife near a Kmart store in a shopping centre on the NSW Central Coast, prompting a lockdown.
  • The girl was secured and taken to the hospital for assessment, and no threat to the public was made.
  • NSW Police will soon have new 'wanding' powers to detect knives in public places without the need for a warrant, under a law named after stabbing victim Jack Beasley.
  • Additional reforms under consideration include making it illegal to sell knives to children under 18, except for work or study purposes, to prevent knife-related violence.
How do you feel about the new 'wanding' powers? Have you noticed an increase in security measures in your local shopping areas? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below.
 
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Reforms ? Really...try making the parents be parents and NOT best friends with their kids, it's beyond a joke with a lot of these kids on anti depressants etc before they are teenagers..what happened to actions equals consequences...oh that's right the do gooders got offended...well they should be the ones that fix their mess!!
 
Sadly after the Bondi Junction stabbings it's like it has put things into some people's heads.

As for these unruly and unstabled children what are their parents doing.
With youth crime it needs to be nipped in the butt and zero tolerance to show they won't get away with it.

Sadly my half sisters son has been a very unruly boy since at a young age. He is now 21 and still trouble.
His attitude was as a child " they won't lock me up" my sister was and isn't a good mother , the same as two other sisters but those sisters are all either drug addicts or alcoholics so how can they be good parents or role models
 
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Whats wrong with young people nowadays....we were brought up to have values and respect for other people. Seems those values don't apply anymore. Worst thing the Government did was bring in the rule "no smacking" as now these kids don't know the difference between right and wrong and lose respect for everyone. Parents need to be help accountable for the actions of young people....but do they even care ?? 😡
 
Every action movie and video game has more violence than ever before. This was all restricted in thr past. Kids are learning that violence is the answer to everything. They are acting out on what they see on tv. They are playing violent vidoe games where they are killing people with guns and knives. Virtual reality is becoming real life reality. Could this be a part of the problem ?
 
Every action movie and video game has more violence than ever before. This was all restricted in thr past. Kids are learning that violence is the answer to everything. They are acting out on what they see on tv. They are playing violent vidoe games where they are killing people with guns and knives. Virtual reality is becoming real life reality. Could this be a part of the problem ?
Absolutely correct David567. Too much violence on TV in movies, on the readily accessible internet and in games available for them to play. The internet can be a very good thing for everyone, but unfortunately is has a more bad than good influence on maturing minds of our teens (& our pre-teens) these days.
 
Whats wrong with young people nowadays....we were brought up to have values and respect for other people. Seems those values don't apply anymore. Worst thing the Government did was bring in the rule "no smacking" as now these kids don't know the difference between right and wrong and lose respect for everyone. Parents need to be help accountable for the actions of young people....but do they even care ?? 😡
Unfortunately many of these young people are now adults and still can't recognise social behaviour. They grow up entitled, greedy and selfish and don't contribute much to society.
 
Every action movie and video game has more violence than ever before. This was all restricted in thr past. Kids are learning that violence is the answer to everything. They are acting out on what they see on tv. They are playing violent vidoe games where they are killing people with guns and knives. Virtual reality is becoming real life reality. Could this be a part of the problem ?
l think it started with television when they started all the crime shows.
 
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We have Governments that are lazy, have forgotten their role, inept to making positive policy to benefit society and the people they are there to represent. We cater to minority groups to the detriment of the majority. The Legal system is breaking down due to the attitudes of the people who work in that system. Offering up 'he is not responsible for his actions because he was drunk/he is a habitual drug user/he has a mental illness', as an excuse. I personally witnessed a solicitor offer up the 'mental health' excuse, the Magistrate didn't ask for any proof/documentation, nor was it offered. It was later shown, when the matter went to the District Court, no prior history of a 'mental health issue', could be found or substantiated. Then you have the narrow minded people, in Gov. and in the Legal profession pushing the ' making some drugs legal and not a crime.' How many victims have to be killed or injured by some ' offender, high on drugs and driving a car/bike'. These do-gooders have never seen the results of vehicle accidents as a result of their mindless attitude to drugs/alcohol effects. Society is breaking down, no leadership from Gov. at all levels, a Legal system that is ineffective, sentencing is based on a monetary costing, or deals being made, offenders not being held to account and then looked upon as a 'victim', the 'real victims' being lost and forgotten... I grew up in a great Australia, now it is turning to crap. The voices of the majority are never heard or ignored, it is the minority who get what they want...
 
Whats wrong with young people nowadays....we were brought up to have values and respect for other people. Seems those values don't apply anymore. Worst thing the Government did was bring in the rule "no smacking" as now these kids don't know the difference between right and wrong and lose respect for everyone. Parents need to be help accountable for the actions of young people....but do they even care ?? 😡
My sister and l had a lovely woman who cared for us while my mother worked and she was so strict. lf we misbehaved we had to sit on a hard chair for an hour and no ice cream when we went out.
 
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Every action movie and video game has more violence than ever before. This was all restricted in thr past. Kids are learning that violence is the answer to everything. They are acting out on what they see on tv. They are playing violent vidoe games where they are killing people with guns and knives. Virtual reality is becoming real life reality. Could this be a part of the problem ?
Don't forget the evening news being an influence. Actual footage of shit going down. Not some Hollywood manufactured fantasy to satiate the potentially violent.
 
We have Governments that are lazy, have forgotten their role, inept to making positive policy to benefit society and the people they are there to represent. We cater to minority groups to the detriment of the majority. The Legal system is breaking down due to the attitudes of the people who work in that system. Offering up 'he is not responsible for his actions because he was drunk/he is a habitual drug user/he has a mental illness', as an excuse. I personally witnessed a solicitor offer up the 'mental health' excuse, the Magistrate didn't ask for any proof/documentation, nor was it offered. It was later shown, when the matter went to the District Court, no prior history of a 'mental health issue', could be found or substantiated. Then you have the narrow minded people, in Gov. and in the Legal profession pushing the ' making some drugs legal and not a crime.' How many victims have to be killed or injured by some ' offender, high on drugs and driving a car/bike'. These do-gooders have never seen the results of vehicle accidents as a result of their mindless attitude to drugs/alcohol effects. Society is breaking down, no leadership from Gov. at all levels, a Legal system that is ineffective, sentencing is based on a monetary costing, or deals being made, offenders not being held to account and then looked upon as a 'victim', the 'real victims' being lost and forgotten... I grew up in a great Australia, now it is turning to crap. The voices of the majority are never heard or ignored, it is the minority who get what they want...
The reasons for what you have mentioned is multi-faceted.

Firstly, generational issues are mainly responsible for increased unemployment, poverty, homelessness, violence, substance abuse and disregard for authority. "Mum" and "Dad" get shitfaced on whatever substance, commit acts of domestic or community violence, render themselves unemployable, spend money on alcohol or drugs at the expense of putting food on the table then commit acts of theft, such as shoplifting to plug the gaps. Their offspring see this as the norm and follow suit. A case of "monkey see....monkey do".

Secondly, multiculturalism. Immigrants to this country, who incidentally are escaping the war, violence and poverty of the origin country, bring this mindset along with them. For example, the proliferation of gang violence, mostly at the hands of African and Middle Eastern youths. Not many Indigenous or white Australians undertake this behaviour.

Thirdly, extremist religious views. Especially fundamentalist Islamic ideals have infected all nations, including Australia. The huge majority of terrorist acts across the world have been committed by Islamic extremists. All but one of the top ten worst terrorist acts according to body count, have been committed by Islamic extremists.
 

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Don't need a knife to do harm?
I could make a improvised explosive device from a variety of materials purchased from supermarkets, hardware stores or automotive shops.

Woolworths, Bunnings and Supercheap have a plethora of chemicals to manufacture a bomb. Having an applied chemistry degree does help....
 
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Every action movie and video game has more violence than ever before. This was all restricted in thr past. Kids are learning that violence is the answer to everything. They are acting out on what they see on tv. They are playing violent vidoe games where they are killing people with guns and knives. Virtual reality is becoming real life reality. Could this be a part of the problem ?
Could be the posting of incidents on social media sites is encouraging copy cat behaviour. Combine this with out of control kids and recalcitrant parents and you have the recipe for disaster that we see on the news every day. Recognising society's expectation of penalties by the judiciary is the only way that we are going to make any inroads into modifying their antisocial behaviour.
 
I could make a improvised explosive device from a variety of materials purchased from supermarkets, hardware stores or automotive shops.

Woolworths, Bunnings and Supercheap have a plethora of chemicals to manufacture a bomb. Having an applied chemistry degree does help....
So can I but I not would let on, I was thinking something simpler which doesn't get confiscated at airports. Plus the more ingredients the more likelihood of being nabbed.
 
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So can I but I would let on, I was thinking something simpler which doesn't get confiscated at airports. Plus the ingredients the more likelihood of being nabbed.
Ever since airports had detectors for explosive materials, more often than not, I get pulled up for a check.

Do I look like a terrorist? Probably.... :ROFLMAO:
 

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