While transporting Ayad from a hospital to the police station in Townsville on Wednesday, Ayad became “extremely violent”, forcing police to stop the vehicle to restrain him, Rohweder said.
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Australian Grant Scholz, 46, also suffered non life-threatening injuries and a dog was killed.
Ayad’s assaults in custody include biting one officer.
The pair were forced to call for back-up from uniformed officers, who the French man is also alleged to have fought with.
“Police were confronted with a awful scene when they arrived”, Superintendent Ray Rohweder said at a press conference.
Mia Ayliffe-Chung was stabbed to death, allegedly by French man Smail Ayad.
Investigators were still interviewing witnesses and Ayad could face a charge of murder, Rohweder said.
“From what we have been able to establish at this stage there is absolutely no indication of any form of radicalisation or any political ideology behind this”, he said.
Jamison Stead, 23, a former boyfriend who met Miss Ayliffe-Chung in Australia, said she had fallen in love with the country and had hoped to stay. “High Commission staff have deployed to Townsville and we remain in close contact with local authorities”.
The stabbing took place at an accommodation complex in the Home Hill area of Queensland at around 11.15pm local time on Tuesday. “She had been travelling for a year and had arrived in Australia”, Nicola added.
“It’s a tragedy. No words to describe what happened”, he said.
Hostel owner John Norris told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Jackson was one of three men to risk their lives to save Ms Ayliffe-Chug.
According to news report Ayliffe-Chung had been doing farm work near Home Hill to extend her visa.
Ayad is believed to be a massive fan of UFC fighting and is also a kickboxer.
Chris Porter reportedly damaged both ankles when jumping from a second-storey window to flee the knifeman who killed 21-year-old Mia Ayliffe-Chung.
Asked if Mr Ayad had a romantic interest in Miss Ayliffe-Chung, he said: “That’s one of the lines of inquiry that we are conducting”.
He said: “Certainly from Mia’s point of view, there was no romantic connection”.
“I don’t believe there was any romance (between them), there’s no doubt about that”.
The woman was found dead at the scene and the British man was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Witnesses told police Ayad had been acting out of character in the hours leading up to the attack.
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His family is en route from the United Kingdom to be with him, Supt Rohweder said. Several people have been arrested on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks, and the government has said some 150 Australians have been recruited to fight with jihadist group “Islamic State” in Syria and Iraq.
