A UK man who helped chase and tackle the alleged York St stabber who was "covered in blood and wielding a knife," says he didn't think twice because he sees Australia as his "new home."
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Lee Cuthbert, 29, was working in the York St office of Map Talent recruitment agency, which he owns with two friends, when he and his colleagues heard a commotion on the street below.
"We had a window open to get some air in and then we just heard the commotion ... we looked out and saw him on top of a car wielding a knife and we all just kind of reacted from there," he said.
"We just tried to get down as quick as we could ... You don't think ... you just kind of react really, it was surreal, very, very surreal."
Mr Cuthbert and his friends Paul and Luke O'Shaughnessy, all from Manchester in the UK, and Alex Roberts, from Cronulla, were shaken after the incident but said they did not hesitate once they saw the incident unfolding.
Warning: Graphic footage
"We all kind of chased, worked together, but it was Luke who was the real hero. He pursued him the hardest and managed to get a grip of him with another man," Mr Cuthbert said.
Mr Cuthbert said the alleged offender looked Caucasian, aged around "24 or 25", and had curly hair.
He would not comment on claims that the man was yelling Allahu Akhbar as he wielded the knife.
"He had blood on the knife and there was blood all over his clothing, so hopefully no-one was [badly] injured, fingers crossed it wasn't serious."
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Mr Cuthbert added that he had been living in Sydney for the past three years, and said he did not hesitate to chase the man because he sees Australia as his "new home".
"Me, Paul and Luke, we've adopted Australia as our new home and you hear about this happening all over, especially the UK, and you think coming to Australia you're really safe and you feel like you've kind of got away from it.
"The first thing I'll do is give my mum a call."
Mr Roberts, who also gave chase to the alleged offender said the experience was frightening.
"We were all in the office and we saw the commotion downstairs and we all just legged it down and just chased. No...I didn't really think, I should have..."
- SMH/The Age