A knife-wielding man has been shot dead by police after stabbing five people at a shopping centre in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
Police confirmed the man was shot by officers responding to an incident at South Hedland Square on Friday.
Five people are being treated for stab wounds at Hedland Health Campus. Three are in a stable condition and two in a serious but stable condition.
Premier Mark McGowan said officers had attempted to subdue the man before shooting him, describing the incident as "tragic and awful".
"He has been Tasered by police. That didn't stop him," he told reporters.
"He lunged at police officers and then he was shot."
Mr McGowan said the officers had been forced to respond to a highly dangerous scenario.
"All of our thoughts go to those people who have been hurt and all of our thoughts and appreciation go to those police officers who have had to deal with a very, very, very difficult situation, dangerous to their own lives," he said.
Port Hedland Commissioner Fred Riebeling said one of the victims is a council employee who works at a local theatre.
"It's all really upsetting," he told AAP.
"If there's five or half a dozen people injured, half the town will probably know someone involved."
It's understood one of the victims whose condition is more serious was stabbed in the neck.
A shop owner, known only as George, said the Taser seemed to have no effect on the man.
"They tasered him four or five times. Nothing happened. It didn't have any effect whatsoever on him," he told 6PR radio.
WA Police said there was no ongoing danger to the community and the circumstances surrounding how people were injured would be investigated.
"As per normal protocols, Major Crime Division and Professional Standards Division will investigate the circumstances surrounding the police shooting," a police statement said.
WA Police Union president Harry Arnott said a team had been deployed to assist members involved in the incident and their colleagues.
"Our information indicates our members acted to protect the community and themselves, and without their intervention this incident would be significantly more tragic for the Hedland community," he said in a statement.
"This incident again highlights the unique and dangerous job that police officers do."
