A 49-year-old man has been charged after allegedly threatening to kill a man in an Alice Springs shopping centre, then attempting to strike him with an “edged weapon”, NT Police said.

Police director of communications Mark Wilton said in a statement that police allege that at 10am Wednesday, the 49-year-old allegedly drove past another man he is believed to know, in the Alice Springs CBD, and threatened to kill him.

Mr Wilton said that at 10.50am the alleged offender went into a shopping centre on Hartley Street armed with an unspecified edged weapon, and threatened to kill another man.

“An altercation between the two occurred, with the offender allegedly physically assaulting the victim and attempting to strike him with the edged weapon multiple times. The victim retreated through the shopping centre attempting to defend himself,” Mr Wilton said.

Police said bystanders intervened, which allowed the alleged victim, who did not suffer any injuries, to escape and report the alleged attack to the Alice Springs Police Station.

The alleged offender was arrested at 2pm, Mr Wilton said, and he was charged with recklessly endangering serious harm, and was remanded to appear in Alice Springs Local court on Thursday.