The individual responsible for the knife attack that claimed the lives of six people at a shopping center in Australia has been identified as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi.
Cauchi, who had relocated to Sydney just a month prior to the tragic incident at Westfield mall in Bondi Junction, was from Queensland and had been known to authorities, though he had not previously been arrested or charged. The attack occurred on Saturday, April 13, prompting Cauchi’s family to contact authorities after seeing footage of the incident on television.
New South Wales police confirmed Cauchi’s identity on Sunday, April 14, following his death at the hands of a police officer. The assailant, acting alone, targeted shoppers on Saturday afternoon, with authorities indicating that the attack did not appear to be motivated by terrorism.
Among the victims were four women and a man in his 30s, along with a security guard at the shopping center. Dr. Ashlee Good, a mother, reportedly handed her nine-month-old baby to a stranger in a desperate attempt to save the child after being stabbed while in her pram.
Queensland Police assistant commissioner Roger Lowe revealed that Cauchi was “itinerant,” meaning he frequently traveled without a fixed address. Lowe noted that Cauchi had interacted with police over the past several years, primarily regarding mental health concerns.
New South Wales police are conducting investigations into Cauchi, who had rented a “very small” storage container in Sydney shortly before the attack. Cauchi’s family issued a statement expressing no objection to the actions of the police officer who fatally shot him, acknowledging that she was fulfilling her duty to protect others.
The family also extended their thoughts and prayers to the victims and their loved ones, describing Cauchi’s actions as “truly horrific” and noting his longstanding battle with mental health issues. They requested privacy during this difficult time.
