A violent extremist who carried out an 'ISIS inspired' terror attack on a shopping mall, stabbing multiple people, has been shot dead by police.

Shoppers screamed in terror and fled for their lives out of the supermarket in Auckland, New Zealand, after several people were attacked by a man armed with a knife.

Six people were wounded in the attack at the New Lynn shopping mall, with three victims left fighting for their lives in hospital.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a press conference that the attack was 'ISIS inspired' and was motivated by 'violent ideology.'

She described the attack as the actions of a 'lone wolf,' adding: "It was hateful, it was wrong. It was carried out by an individual, not a faith" is quoted 

The 32-year-old was already under 24/7 surveillance and officers monitoring him thought he had gone into supermarket to do some shopping when he suddenly launched an attack on people in there

He pulled out a large knife and started "running around like a lunatic" stabbing people, shopper Michelle Miller an eyewitness reported.

Officers shot and killed the man within 60 seconds of the violent rampage beginning, police said.

Ms Ardern confirmed the attacker had previously been under surveillance by police and had been known by authorities since 2016.

The attacker was a Sri Lankan national who had arrived in the country in 2011, she said.

He had been "monitored constantly" and had been being watched for the past five years, Ms Ardern said.

Auckland terror attack: Shoppers run for their lives as knifeman starts randomly stabbing people

The New Zealand Herald reports that the man had previously been arrested for allegedly planning a "lone wolf" knife attack in the past

Photos below

Source: Mirror.co.uk