“Authorities in Australia have identified the assailant responsible for the Sydney stabbing attack that claimed six lives.”
Police have identified Joel Cauchi, 40, as the assailant responsible for the stabbing attack that killed six people at a busy Sydney shopping center before being shot dead by a police officer. The incident occurred at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction, near Bondi Beach.
New South Wales Police clarified that Cauchi had unspecified mental health issues, and they are not treating the attack as terrorism-related. Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke stated that there is no evidence suggesting the attack was motivated by ideology or any specific motive other than Cauchi’s mental health.
The attack, which took place on a warm fall afternoon, resulted in the deaths of five women and one man, aged between 20 and 55. Another 12 people were injured, including a 9-month-old child whose mother was killed in the attack. The male victim was identified as Faraz Tahir, a security guard at the shopping center and a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Australia.
Video footage showed Cauchi wielding a knife and attacking people in the shopping mall before being confronted by an officer. Inspector Amy Scott, the first responder, shot and killed Cauchi, an action praised by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as heroic and life-saving.
Cauchi’s family expressed devastation over the events and stated they had no issue with Scott shooting their son, acknowledging that she was protecting others. They described Cauchi as battling mental health issues since his teenage years.
Floral tributes were placed outside the shopping center in memory of the victims. The area remains an active crime scene as the investigation continues.