THE teen “terrorist” who ruthlessly stabbed a bishop in Sydney may have had his finger sliced off during the attack and ensuing church melee, say police.
An unnamed 16-year-old was arrested by cops after being caught on a live stream lunging at Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel before repeatedly stabbing him in church as shocked witnesses screamed.
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The Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley where the horrors unfolded have called for people to not seek “vengeance and justice” on the attacker.
Instead, asking for people to “adopt the spirit of humility, love and peace” to support the wounded bishop.
Harrowing footage of the attack shows several churchgoers leaping to Bishop Emmanuel’s rescue by ripping off and disarming the boy.
The suspect was pinned to the ground as he grinned manically to himself on Monday evening inside the church.
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It is now believed that during the life-saving scuffle the young perpetrator “had one of his fingers severed”.
Police think his finger could’ve been torn off by accident as he was bravely apprehended by parishioners, say news.com.au.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb said it was “too early to say” how his finger was ripped off.
She continued: “It is not clear yet whether it’s self-inflicted or through the melee that occurred or some other way.”
Shocking pictures appear to show the 16-year-old handcuffed on a toilet with his right hand heavily bandaged.
NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the teen’s finger injury was “quite severe” and he was “fairly distraught” by the state of his hand.
He was taken to an unnamed hospital to undergo surgery.
Cops declared the horror stabbing – Sydney’s second knife rampage in as many days – a “terror act” yesterday.
It has since been revealed the teen was charged with knife possession and intent to commit an offence in November last year.
But after a court appearance in January he was released on a good behaviour bond, ABC reports.
New South Wales premier Chris Minns said the teen “wasn’t on a terrorism watch list” and was no longer under police observation when he attacked church-goers.
At least four people were stabbed in the knife rampage.
Paramedics confirmed a man in his 50s was also taken to hospital with stab wounds.
Three others were treated at the scene – including a man in his 30s and two others with lacerations to the arm and hand.
The attack happened while Bishop Emmanuel was preaching on Monday afternoon – just days after six were stabbed to death at a mall in Sydney.
CHURCH STATEMENT
The Christ The Good Shepherd Church posted a detailed message to their supporters and all those concerned yesterday evening.
Put out by Fr. Daniel Kochou, it started it off by saying Bishop Emmanuel “is currently receiving treatment at hospital for sustained wounds”.
He is stable and improving hour-by-hour.
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Kochou said the church has been “inundated with messages, flooded with onlookers, and had visits from thousands of locals” in the hours after the attack.
But he quickly condemned some of those who surrounded the church saying they “defied police instructions”.
The statement ended with Kochou calling for the Bishop’s supporters to not seek “vengeance and justice” but to “adopt the spirit of humility, love and peace”.
RIOT MAYHEM
The men who managed to restrain the teen locked the doors to the church so he couldn’t escape as cops arrived to detain him.
News quickly spread of the horrific ordeal and an angry mob gathered outside demanding the attacker come out.
Dramatic footage shows up to 2,000 raging locals swarming the roads.
Cops lined up in defensive barriers to prevent them from causing any further carnage despite them reportedly “wanting blood”.
Police are alleged to have used pepper spray on a few of those gathering outside – causing some to vomit.
They wanted blood. It was a great build-up of mayhem
Dominic Cammareri
Two cops were said to have been injured in the melee.
One witness to the protest mob, Dominic Cammareri, told Daily Mail Australia: “People were vomiting from the pepper spray and running into people’s homes to get water.
“If it wasn’t for social media, the police would have arrived before the people rioting and this wouldn’t have happened.
“They wanted blood. It was a great build-up of mayhem.”
Bricks and weapons were found scattered around near the church today.
I was just watching the livestream with my family and they let out the biggest screams. It’s terrifying, it’s something you wouldn’t expect
Mary Bityou
Jaklin Bityou, who was inside the church with her husband when the teen attacked, said: “I’m still shaking, it was horrible, we just heard people screaming.
“We heard the bishop had been stabbed in his eye.”
Her teenage daughter Mary was watching the horrific live stream from home at the time.
She said: “He knew the service was being live-streamed and he waited for the camera to turn on before the (alleged) attack.
“I was just watching the livestream with my auntie and grandma and they let out the biggest screams.
“It’s terrifying, it’s something you wouldn’t expect.”
Assistant Commissioner Holland said investigators spoke with the teen saying: “He’s fairly upset and very distraught.
“He’s asked to speak to his parents at this stage and we’re making arrangements with his parents to make contact with him.
“Police are obviously making sure that that young person is safe and, and obviously with the action of the parishioners and obviously the local community, there was concerns for his safety.
“Hence, the decision was made to detain him in the in the church until later in the night.”
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