Australian police evacuated hundreds of tourists from a busy Sydney shopping mall after a man was shot dead and several others were stabbed. AFP the report said.

The incident happened at the sprawling Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center on Saturday night.

A man believed to be the attacker has been shot dead by police, New South Wales Ambulance reports.

The area has been evacuated and police advise people to avoid approaching it as the incident is still ongoing. British Broadcasting Corporation the report said.

Witnesses said there was panic at the scene, with shoppers fleeing to safety and police trying to secure the area.

“Even 20 minutes after people were rushed out of the mall, I saw SWAT guys clearing the streets around them,” one witness said.

Some people took shelter in nearby supermarkets and shops.

In surveillance footage broadcast by local media channels, a man can be seen running around the shopping center with a large knife, with injured people lying on the floor.

The motive behind the incident remains unclear.