AUSTRALIA – A knife attack in Sydney on Tuesday killed 1 person and left 2 others with critical injuries, according to local authorities.

The attack occurred in the suburb of Merrylands on Merrylands Road, a busy commercial strip, where emergency services were called after reports that a man had stabbed several people before fleeing the scene on foot, according to ABC News.

A man believed to be in his 30s or 40s died at the scene despite emergency efforts.

A 22-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, authorities said.

Police confirmed that two of the stabbings took place inside a business premises, while a third occurred on the footpath outside.

Police arrested a man behind a nearby house on Smythe Street and he was taken to Granville Police Station.

“The alleged offender is known to police for petty crime and a number of mental health incidents,” said New South Wales Police Superintendent Simon Glasser.

The authorities later said that the man had escaped from care more than a week ago while being transferred between hospitals.

He was being treated by the Cumberland Hospital, which provides care for people with complex mental health needs, said the Western Sydney Local Health District.

“On 7 February 2026, this person was ignored from care while being transferred from Cumberland Hospital to Westmead Hospital emergency department for further medical assessment,” a district spokesperson said in a statement.

A crime scene has been established as police continue investigations into the motive behind the attack.