Joel Cauchi, 40, has been recognized as the person caught on digicam carrying a rugby league jersey and wielding a knife within the Westfield at Bondi Junction yesterday afternoon.
Posts in two separate Fb teams from 2020 present that Cauchi had been in search of “teams of people that shoot weapons, together with handguns, to fulfill up with, chat with, and get to know”.
“Please ship me a DM should you will help me out! I dwell in Brisbane by the best way,” Cauchi posted.
Cauchi had additionally uploaded a profile to an escort web site, the place he was inquiring for intercourse work.
The profile, which has since been eliminated, describes Cauchi’s bodily traits and the kind of escort work he was accessible for.
“I’m an athletic, good wanting 39 year-old man,” the profile reads.
In the meantime, Cauchi’s household mentioned they’re “completely devastated by the traumatic occasions” and mentioned what he did was “actually horrific.”
“Joel’s actions had been actually horrific, and we’re nonetheless attempting to understand what has occurred,” an announcement mentioned.
“He has battled with psychological well being points since he was an adolescent.”
The household mentioned they’d “no points with the Police Officer who shot our son as she was solely doing her job to guard others and we hope she is coping alright.”
Police at the moment are investigating Cauchi’s “life main as much as yesterday” within the aftermath, and consider he had lived an “itinerant way of life” of sleeping tough and had a protracted historical past of psychological well being points.
Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Roger Lowe mentioned Cauchi was believed to have been sleeping tough or in a car round Queensland earlier than shifting to New South Wales.
“He has moved from Brisbane, Kangaroo Level, Carina and again to his household’s residence”.
Cuachi was “road checked” by police on the Gold Coast in December 2023, however had by no means been arrested or criminally charged in Queensland.
Lowe mentioned Cuachi was recognized with psychological sickness at age 17, and that Queensland Police had been investigating whether or not his psychological well being had declined over latest years.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb mentioned police had been now investigating the person’s life and actions earlier than the horrifying assault.
“This will probably be an lively investigation for a lot of days and maybe weeks whereas we establish not solely the motion of the offender, not simply yesterday, however the hours, the times, the weeks, his life main as much as yesterday,” she mentioned.
“We do perceive that there’s a historical past of psychological well being.”
Within the days earlier than the stabbing at Bondi Junction, Cauchi had made different Fb posts searching for to fulfill up with different individuals.
“Hello I’m browsing Bondi this afternoon if anybody desires to fulfill there for a surf!” one mentioned.
One other learn: “Hello I’m in search of a fluent Swedish speaker for a language change. I’m a fluent English speaker and might educate that in change for being taught Swedish in case you are .”
4 ladies and one man died on the scene, with one other girl, 38-year-old mum Ash Good, dying later in hospital.
Twelve others had been taken to hospital, together with Good’s nine-month-old daughter.
Cauchi was shot useless by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott, who entered the purchasing centre alone after getting the decision.
This morning, police mentioned Cauchi had moved right down to NSW from Queensland final month.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke mentioned police had spoken with Cauchi’s household, who had been co-operating with investigators.
“We all know that shortly after coming to Sydney, (Cauchi) took possession of a storage facility that has been recognized and now we have labored via that very small storage facility,” Cooke mentioned.
“As I had mentioned final night time, there’s nonetheless up to now nothing that now we have, no info now we have obtained, no proof now we have recovered, no intelligence now we have gathered, that may recommend that this was pushed by any explicit motivation, ideology or in any other case.”
Cooke mentioned Cauchi had suffered from psychological well being points, and it “very clearly” appeared that the assault was linked to his psychological state.
Cauchi was identified to Queensland Police, who’re aiding with the continuing investigation.
Queensland police mentioned that Cauchi’s household got here ahead to establish their son to authorities after they noticed Saturday’s horrific occasions on TV.
Believing the person shot useless in Bondi Junction Westfield to be their son, they reached out to police.
It’s believed that Cauchi’s household additionally despatched an announcement of condolences to the victims of the knife assault, and expressed their concern for the NSW police officer’s wellbeing.
- Six individuals have been killed in a mass stabbing assault at Westfield purchasing centre at Bondi Junction in Sydney’s jap suburbs.
- The person, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, was shot useless by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott on the scene. Police don’t consider he acted “with ideation”.
- Twelve individuals had been taken to hospital, although police mentioned others could have introduced independently with minor accidents.
- 5 ladies and one man had been killed within the assault, which additionally left a dozen injured.
- They embody Faraz Tahir, 30, a refugee who began working as a safety guard that day; Ashlee Good, 38, a mum whose child was additionally stabbed; Daybreak Singleton 25, a store employee and daughter of businessman John Singleton, and architect and mother-of-two Jade Younger, 47.
- Three individuals – a lady, man and a nine-month-old child woman – stay in a essential situation.
- Eight others are secure and one girl has been discharged from hospital.
- Particulars are rising of heroic acts by consumers who tried to assist because the rampage unfolded.
- Cell phone footage reveals crowds hiding in stairwells, with different consumers saying they had been evacuated to the roof and others cowered in retailers.
- The purchasing centre will stay closed on Monday as police work via the crime scene.
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