Current:Home > InvestPolice in Australia identify the Sydney stabbing attacker who killed 6 people-InfoLens
Police in Australia identify the Sydney stabbing attacker who killed 6 people
View Date:2024-12-23 14:08:08
SYDNEY (AP) — Police have identified the assailant who stabbed six people to death at a busy Sydney shopping center before he was fatally shot by a police officer.
New South Wales Police said Sunday that Joel Cauchi, 40, was responsible for the Saturday afternoon attack at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction, in the city’s eastern suburbs and not far from the world-famous Bondi Beach.
NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke told reporters at a media conference on Sunday that Cauchi suffered from yet unspecified mental health issues and police investigators weren’t treating the attack as terrorism-related.
“We are continuing to work through the profiling of the offender but very clearly to us at this stage it would appear that this is related to the mental health of the individual involved,” Cooke said.
“There is still, to this point... no information we have received, no evidence we have recovered, no intelligence that we have gathered that would suggest that this was driven by any particular motivation - ideology or otherwise,” he added.
The attack at the shopping center, one of the country’s busiest and which was a hub of activity on a particularly warm fall afternoon, began around 3:10 p.m. and police were swiftly called.
Six people — five women and one man, aged between 20 and 55 — were killed in the attack and 12 others remain in hospital, including a 9-month-old child, whose mother died during the attack.
Two of the six victims were from overseas and have no family in Australia, Cooke said on Sunday.
Video footage shared online appears to show many people fleeing as a knife-wielding Cauchi walked through the shopping center and lunging at people.
Other footage shows a man confronting the attacker on an escalator in the shopping center by holding what appeared to be a post towards him.
Cauchi was shot dead by a lone female police officer at the scene.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the officer was “certainly a hero” who’s actions had saved many more lives.
“The wonderful inspector who ran into danger by herself and removed the threat that was there to others, without thinking about the risks to herself,” he said.
“We also see the footage of ordinary Australians putting themselves in harm’s way in order to help their fellow citizens. That bravery was quite extraordinary that we saw yesterday,” he added.
The shopping center remains closed on Sunday and will be an active crime scene for days, police said.
veryGood! (772)
Related
- Kristin Cavallari's Ex Mark Estes Jokingly Proposed to This Love Island USA Star
- Stanley Tucci’s Exclusive Cookware Collection Is So Gorgeous, You’ll Even Want Your Kitchen to Match
- AP PHOTOS: Boston celebrates St. Patrick’s Day; Biden holds White House brunch with Irish leader
- Lucky Day: Jerome Bettis Jr. follows in father's footsteps, verbally commits to Notre Dame
- Gisele Bündchen Makes First Major Appearance Since Pregnancy
- Undeterred: Kansas Citians turn for St. Patrick’s Day parade, month after violence at Chiefs’ rally
- A warming island’s mice are breeding out of control and eating seabirds. An extermination is planned
- When is Final Four for March Madness? How to watch women's and men's tournaments
- Whoopi Goldberg calling herself 'a working person' garners criticism from 'The View' fans
- First charter flight with US citizens fleeing Haiti lands in Miami
Ranking
- Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
- When is First Four for March Madness 2024? Dates, times and how to watch NCAA Tournament
- Death of Nex Benedict spurs calls for action, help for LGBTQ teens and their peers
- Walmart store closures: Three more reportedly added to list of shuttered stores in 2024
- After entire police force resigns in small Oklahoma town, chief blames leaders, budget cuts
- Hormel concedes double-dippers had it right, invents chips so all can enjoy snacking bliss
- March Madness is here. Bracket reveal the 1st step in what should be an NCAA Tournament free-for-all
- Workers at Tennessee Volkswagen factory ask for vote on representation by United Auto Workers union
Recommendation
-
Katharine Hayhoe’s Post-Election Advice: Fight Fear, Embrace Hope and Work Together
-
7th Heaven Stars Have a Heartwarming Cast Reunion at '90s Con
-
Dear Black college athletes: Listen to the NAACP, reconsider playing in state of Florida
-
How a Maine 8-year-old inadvertently became a fashion trendsetter at his school
-
The Fate of Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager's Today Fourth Hour Revealed
-
Denny Hamlin wins NASCAR race at Bristol as tire wear causes turmoil to field
-
When do new episodes of 'Invincible' come out? See full Season 2 Part 2 episode schedule
-
8-year-old Kentucky boy dies after eating strawberries at school fundraiser: Reports