SANDAKAN, Jan 4 — Five people, including three women, were injured by a man who ran amok with a machete and hammer at a restaurant in Batu 3 here in the morning yesterday.

District police chief ACP Abdul Fuad Abdul Malek said the 29-year-old local suspect attacked the victims at 9.11 am before the situation was de-escalated.

"Patrol police responded quickly to the scene, managed to calm the situation and arrested the suspect,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The victims, aged between 34 and 63, were treated at the Duchess of Kent Hospital and are in stable condition.

Abdul Fuad said initial investigations revealed that the suspect suddenly attacked the victims who were inside the restaurant.

"The suspect, who was uninjured, has been taken to the police station. The motive behind the incident is still under investigation, and we urge the public to come forward with any information regarding this matter,” he added.

Videos of the incident have gone viral, showing people running helter-skelter for their safety. — The Borneo Post