- By Jay Savage, Katie Watson and Simon Atkinson
- in Sydney
A knife-wielding man who killed six people at a Sydney shopping center before being shot dead has been identified by Australian police.
Joel Cauchi, 40, sent the packed Westfield Bondi Junction complex into panic on Saturday when he began stabbing people with a long blade.
Five women and one man died. Several others, including a baby, were injured.
Authorities said the attack was most likely “related to the mental health of the person involved.”
In an update on Sunday, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cook said they were still trying to notify the families of the victims.
“Two of them don’t seem to have family in Australia,” he told reporters.
He said Mr Cauchi, who is from Queensland, was previously known to police and had bought a storage unit in Sydney.
The assistant commissioner reiterated that the attacker did not appear to have been motivated by “a particular ideology or motivation”.
The nine-month-old girl “underwent surgery overnight and is currently in critical condition and in intensive care,” Health Minister Ryan Park told ABC news.
“Now we’re certainly hoping that she’ll come through it, but there’s still a long way to go.”
Her mother, Ashley Goode, was among those killed. Witnesses told local media that Ms Good was able to hand her baby to bystanders in the moments after she was injured.
“A mother was stabbed and the mother came with the baby and threw it at me and (I) held the baby,” one man told Nine News.
Ms Goode’s family said they were “devastated by the terrible loss of Ashley, a beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all-round exceptional person and so much more”.
“We appreciate the well wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashley and our baby girl,” the family said in a statement.
Mrs Goode was a “beautiful person”, the owners of a health clinic where she once worked told the BBC.
On Sunday, gifts of flowers began to pile up outside the huge shopping center in Sydney’s affluent east.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australians were “waking up to try and deal with the shock and trauma” of what happened.
Describing the attack as “unspeakable and really just incomprehensible”, Mr Albanese again praised the actions of a lone senior policewoman who confronted Mr Cauchi and shot him dead as terror gripped the shopping centre.
“The wonderful inspector who faced the danger herself and removed the threat she posed to others without thinking about the risks to herself,” the Prime Minister said, thanking her and the emergency services.
State officials said nine people were taken to hospital after the incident and three other people sought medical attention overnight. About 40 paramedics were initially involved in the response.
The mall remained closed on Sunday and forensics officers examined the scene.
Many world leaders expressed shock. New Zealand leader Christopher Luxon said all New Zealanders were thinking of those affected, while UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said they were “in the thoughts and prayers of the British people”.
Pope Francis said he was deeply saddened by the “senseless tragedy” and offered prayers. King Charles added that he and Queen Camilla were “absolutely shocked” and “our hearts go out to our families and loved ones”.
