A local barber in Wangaratta says he felt he had "no choice" but to step in and tackle the driver who allegedly struck Australian independent MP Helen Haines with a car on Monday afternoon.
Ricky Jefferies, whose shop is located directly in front of the scene on Murphy Street, told broadcasters that he pulled the driver out of a white Toyota Landcruiser immediately after the incident. Jefferies stated that he searched the man and found a knife in his pocket before having him sit on the ground until police arrived within minutes.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commended Jefferies and other nearby residents, praising them as heroes for intervening. Australian authorities have confirmed that a 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee remains in police custody. Police and government officials are treating the incident as a deliberate act, while an investigation is underway involving local law enforcement alongside a joint counter-terrorism taskforce.
Dr. Haines, the 65-year-old independent federal MP for Indi, was airlifted to a Melbourne hospital following the incident. She underwent surgery overnight and remains in a critical condition, drawing widespread condemnation of political violence and expressions of support from leaders across Australia and New Zealand.