Joel Cauchi identified as Westfield Bondi junction knife killer: Horrific new details emerge

The killer who killed six people in a stabbing attack at Bondi Junction Westfield shopping center was looking for surfing friends just days before the massacre.

Six innocent shoppers, including five women and a man, were stabbed to death at Bondi Junction Westfield shopping center at around 3.20pm on Saturday.

Police identified the knifeman as 40-year-old man Joel Cauchi, who moved to Sydney from Queensland a month ago. He suffered from schizophrenia and police are investigating a possible history of assaulting women.

Just six days before the attack, Cauchi invited Sydneysiders to join him surfing at Bondi Beach in a post shared on a Facebook group for aspiring surfers.

Cauchi wrote: ‘Hi, I’m surfing in Bondi this afternoon if anyone wants to meet up there to surf!’.

The post received a barrage of negative comments shortly after police confirmed Cauchi’s identity on Sunday.

In another post, shared in December 2020 to an outdoor adventure Facebook group for Brisbane residents, Cauchi explained he wanted to meet people who shoot guns.

‘Hi, I’m looking for groups of people who shoot guns, including pistols, to meet up with, chat and get to know each other. Feel free to send me a DM if you can help me! I live in Brisbane by the way,” Cauchi wrote.

He also recently posted in several astronomy groups asking if he could join an astrophotographer on a nighttime adventure so he could learn more about the hobby.

Police confirmed Cauchi, who is originally from the Brisbane area, had mental health issues.

There is no indication that Cauchi was part of any particular ideology, with police treating the horrific attack as a mental health incident.

Police are currently searching a “very small storage facility” in Sydney that Cauchi rented out shortly after the move.

He reportedly slept poorly and had no fixed address.

Cauchi was actively looking for a place to live, after creating a profile on Flatmates – an online website for people looking for a shared home.

The 40-year-old was looking for a shared house around Pendle Hill, Blacktown, Paramatta and Liverpool and wrote that he ‘loves meeting new people and seeing new interesting places’.

Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said detectives have spoken to his family who have assisted police with their investigation.

“There is still no information that we have received, no evidence that we have recovered, no information that we have gathered that would indicate that this was driven by any particular motivation – ideology or otherwise,” said Deputy Commissioner Cooke to reporters. Sunday.

‘We continue to work on profiling the perpetrator, but it seems very clear to us at this stage that this is linked to the mental health of the individual involved.’

Assistant Commissioner Cooke said police were still working to determine how Cauchi came into possession of the weapon, described by witnesses as a 12-inch hunting knife.

Police were called to Bondi Junction Westfield at 3.20pm on Saturday as the attack unfolded.

Footage shared online showed terrified shoppers running through the city center and seeking shelter in stores as Cauchi chased men, women and children.

Cauchi, who brandished the knife, fatally stabbed six people, including 38-year-old mother Ashlee Good and multi-millionaire advertising guru John Singleton’s daughter, Dawn.

Five of the victims – including Ms Singleton, three other women believed to be aged between 20 and 55 and a man in his 30s – died at the scene.

Twelve others – including Ms Good, her nine-month-old daughter Harriet, eight other women and two men – who suffered stab wounds were treated by paramedics and taken to various hospitals in Sydney.

Mrs Good later died at St Vincent’s Hospital, while her daughter underwent emergency surgery at Sydney’s Children’s Hospital in Randwick, where she is now in a serious but stable condition.

Inspector Amy Scott was patrolling the area and was the first on the scene and has been hailed as a hero and commended for her bravery.

Inspector Scott entered the mall alone and sprinted through the top floor of the complex, before risking her life and confronting Cauchi.

Cauchi lunged at Inspector Scott, who shot him dead.

The senior police officer performed CPR on the killer, along with other victims lying on the ground in nearby shops as she waited for help to arrive.

Inspector Scott is “in good condition”, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said on Saturday evening.

She will be formally interviewed as part of the investigation into the fatal stabbing.

She bravely ran towards the perpetrator before shooting him dead when he came at her with the knife.