Assailant targets women in Sydney stabbing spree, police report

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Police report that the assailant who carried out a stabbing rampage in a Sydney shopping centre seemed to have targeted women.

The tragic incident unfolded on Saturday (13 April) at Bondi Junction Westfield, a prominent shopping centre in Sydney, resulting in six fatalities.

Reports indicate that the assailant, Joel Cauchi (40) sent the crowded complex into panic when he began stabbing people with a long blade.

The scene turned chaotic as witnesses described a horrifying sight of a man aggressively wielding a “big blade” throughout the shopping centre.

The New South Wales Police responded to distress calls around 4 p.m. local time.

Shoppers recounted the terror of seeing the attacker with the weapon and the subsequent police response that ended with the assailant being shot and receiving immediate medical attention.

Five of the six people who died were women, with several others, including a baby, being injured.

The New South Wales police commissioner stated that it was “obvious” Cauchi focused on women during the attack.

The Police Commissioner, Karen Webb, emphasized the perpetrator’s focus on women, stating, “it’s obvious to me, it’s obvious to detectives… that the offender focused on women and avoided the men.”

She stressed the importance of understanding the motives behind the attacker’s actions, highlighting ongoing investigations.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed these sentiments, acknowledging, “the gender breakdown is, of course, concerning.”

Authorities revealed that Cauchi had a history of mental illness, having been diagnosed at 17.

Although known to the police, he had never been arrested or charged in his home state of Queensland.

The attack, at one of the country’s biggest and most popular shopping centres, has shocked Australia, where mass killings are rare.

Flags across the nation were flown at half-mast on Monday (15 April), and the Sydney Opera House’s sails were lit up in tribute to the victims.

This morning across Australia, flags are flying half-mast in honour of the victims of the Bondi Junction attack.

We grieve together, as one. pic.twitter.com/Q2HVV4AEqB

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 15, 2024

Mourners gathered at Bondi Junction, leaving flowers and cards in memory of those killed in the attack.

Security guard Faraz Tahir (30) was among the victims. He was a refugee who had recently arrived in Australia.

Architect Jade Young (47), Pikria Darchia (55), Dawn Singleton (25), and Cheng Yixuan, a Chinese student pursuing studies in Australia, were also among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

Ashlee Good (38) who was stabbed while trying to protect her nine-month-old baby girl, showed signs of improvement after hours of emergency surgery.

Health Minister Ryan Park expressed the nation’s shared grief, highlighting the resilience shown in the face of tragedy.

“In the darkest of times comes sometimes the brightest of lights and it’s something our whole country was holding its breath [for],” the Minister said on Monday (15 April).

A small evening vigil was held on Sunday (14 April) for the victims, honouring their memory and reflecting on the senseless violence that occurred.

Inspector Amy Scott, who confronted the attacker and ultimately ended the rampage, was hailed as a hero by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for her courageous actions, which undoubtedly saved lives.