Australian authorities have identified Joel Cauchi, 40, as the knife-wielding assailant responsible for a tragic attack at a Sydney shopping centre that left six people dead and several others injured.
The incident, which unfolded at the crowded Westfield Bondi Junction complex on Saturday, sent shockwaves through the community as Cauchi indiscriminately stabbed shoppers with a long blade.
Among the victims were five women and one man, while several others, including a baby, sustained injuries during the frenzied attack. Police have indicated that the motive behind the assault is likely related to Cauchi’s mental health, highlighting his history of mental illness.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb addressed concerns regarding the assailant’s potential targeting of women, stating that such a possibility would be investigated thoroughly.
However, she emphasised that the attack was not deemed an act of terrorism, as authorities found no evidence of ideological motivation.
While Cauchi was known to police, having previously lived itinerantly and been diagnosed with mental illness at a young age in his home state of Queensland, he had never been arrested or charged.
Initial investigations into a storage unit owned by Cauchi in Sydney have yet to uncover a clear motive for the attack.
Authorities are currently working to notify the families of the victims, with particular attention given to two individuals who appear to have no relatives in Australia.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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