We're now hearing from New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb.

She tells reporters that the six victims killed are five women and one man. One of these women died in hospital from her injuries, while the others died at the scene.

We're expecting to hear the latest details from a state police agency press conference shortly, but before that, here are the latest lines from the Australian federal police.

Federal officers confirmed just recently during the prime minister's press conference that New South Wales police are the lead investigators in this incident, but they are receiving support from federal authorities too.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Cr Reece Kershaw stressed during that press briefing that federal police were assisting state police in New South Wales with the investigation and had deployed specialists.

When asked by reporters if there could be "any terrorist motivation" in the attack, the commissioner has said that his agency and other law agencies had determined "it's too early to give that assessment".

In his concluding remarks, Albanese has also made a point to single out the police officer who apprehended and shot dead the attacker.

"I spoke before about the bravery that has been exhibited here, the bravery of the police officer ... she entered the proceedings that were taking place, obviously very dangerous by herself," says the prime minister, acknowledging the officer who was credited with disarming the suspected attacker.

"She is certainly a hero. There is no doubt that she saved lives through her action," says Albanese.

Witnesses at the scene have been describing how the officer ran towards the man, telling him to put down his knife, before shooting him once in the chest.

The officer is reported as then attempting to administer CPR on the attacker, who later died, authorities have said.

Albanese is continuing to express his condolences to the victims of today's attack, adding that police are now confirming that there were six people fatally stabbed while several are being treated for injuries at hospital.

"What we can say for sure tonight is this: To any Australian affected by this tragedy, every Australian is with you," the prime minister says.

More now from that press briefing with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who first emphasised that authorities would conduct a full investigation before adding that it appeared the attacker had "acted alone".

"The motives are not known yet, and speculation on that would not be helpful at this time," the prime minister says, reiterating what police had said hours earlier.

We've just heard from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who just delivered a press conference to the nation in the past half an hour, where he was also joined by the Australian Federal Police commissioner.

He says authorities will update the public as a priority "because we understand that the Australian public will be very shocked by this event".

Stay with us as we deliver more lines from this press briefing.

We're now getting some more eyewitness testimony from some of those who made the brave escape from inside the attack at Westfield Bondi Junction earlier today.

"I didn't see him properly, I was running. It was insane. I thought I was going to die," one witness from inside the shopping centre described the scene, while another says she saw a woman lying on the floor, in Chanel [suit].

Another eyewitness describes how they saw shoppers panicking and running as the suspected attacker entered Bondi Junction this afternoon.

“People were absolutely petrified, and just so many young kids,” one witness, called Andrew, told Nine News earlier.

Watch the clip below of eyewitness reports from outside the mall earlier today:

Police have now updated their statement from earlier and confirm that the suspected attacker fatally stabbed six people before he was shot dead by an officer.

Earlier, the death toll was reported to be five victims, with several other people being treated at hospital with injuries.

Katy Watson
Reporting from Westfield Bondi Junction

Eyewitness Rashdan Aqashah tells me he saw a man holding a pole confront the attacker on an escalator.

"I saw this one guy fighting with the killer. He was holding the pole, trying to throw a pole at the escalator," the 19-year-old tells me.

Aqashah, who was working in clothing store COS, says "everyone started running" when the attack began unfolding.

"I grabbed my manager to shut the store door. It was just in front of our store," he says.

"I’m not sure if the attacker grabbed the pole or not."

Shortly after 18:00 local time (09:00 BST), we heard Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke provide the first comments from authorities in Sydney regarding the multiple stabbing incident that has left at least five victims dead.

There were "several" people injured, according to Cooke, who added that he knows "one them is a small child".

Watch the full clip from the press briefing outside the Sydney shopping centre here:

Image source, Getty Images

A spokesman for New South Wales Ambulance told a press conference earlier today that there were at least eight patients transported to various hospitals across the Sydney region.

Of those who were being treated at hospital, a "number of those are in serious and or critical conditions at this stage", the Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke has also confirmed.

No further information was available about those specific people who were injured, the commissioner added, but as we reported earlier, there was "a small child" among those being treated for injuries.

The spokesperson for the NSW ambulance service also confirmed during the press conference that six patients at the scene were "deemed deceased on scene" - which includes the suspected attacker who was shot dead by police.

We've been covering this breaking news event unfolding in Sydney this morning, where police have just recently confirmed that five people are now dead in what they're describing as a "critical incident".

Here are some of the images that have just come across from that busy Westfield Bondi Junction mall complex, which has since been locked down.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, AFP

One of the details that emerged from the recent press conference were the details of the suspected attacker's movements before he entered the Westfield shopping centre.

Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke has said that the suspect entered the shopping centre at Bondi Junction at around 15:10 local time.

He then says that the suspect then "left the centre very shortly after" before returning at around 15:20 before continuing with the attack and moving through the centre.

More now from the police conference, where police say a single unit officer who was nearby to the scene was the officer responsible for disarming and shooting the suspected attacker.

“She confronted the offender who had moved by this stage to level 5," Assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke tells reporters.

“As she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him, he turned, faced her, raised a knife. She discharged a firearm, and that person is now deceased," he says.

Tiffanie Turnbull
Reporting from Westfield Bondi shopping centre

Johnny, 33, was visiting from the New South Wales Central Coast when he heard commotion outside the store he was shopping in.

When he turned to look he saw a woman and her baby being attacked.

“She was getting stabbed. Everyone was in shock [and] didn't know what to do," he says.

Nearby he thought he could make out another body on the ground, he says.

The injured woman managed to make a run for the Tommy Hilfiger store and once inside, staff quickly locked the doors, he said.

“Some of the other shoppers were using clothing and things to try and… stop the bleeding," he says.

He says he thought the baby only had a minor wound "but the lady was pretty bad… there was a lot of blood and she was panicking," he says.

“Hopefully she pulls through.”

Assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke has also just confirmed from the recent press conference that the attacker "acted alone" and police say there is no "no continuing threat" to the public.

When asked by a journalist about whether there were any suspected motivations in the attack, Cooke says they are still investigating.

During the news conference, police said the suspect "engaged with about nine people" as he moved through the centre.

"It is clear that during that engagement, he caused harm to those people, we believe by stabbing them with a weapon he was carrying," assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke said.

Police are now speaking outside the Sydney mall.

They are confirming that five people have died, and several people have been sent to hospital in critical or serious conditions.

A small child is among those injured, the officer confirms.

The attacker has been shot dead by armed police.

We'll bring you more from the press conference shortly.

Tiffanie Turnbull
Reporting from Westfield Bondi shopping centre

I was at the Westfield Bondi shopping centre just 20 minutes before the stabbing started.

It’s one of the biggest and most popular shopping centres in the country – and like any other Saturday, was packed with hundreds of people, including many families and young children.

Those crowds were sent into a state of terror on this afternoon, as they were forced to hide in shops or try and flee to safety as a knife-wielding man roamed the centre.

We're expecting a news conference from the New South Wales Police to begin shortly.

We'll be covering those updates live here, but you can also watch the presser live by clicking the Play button at the top of the page.

Image source, Reuters