Joel Cauchi Bondi Westfield stabber mystery motive. What led to Queensland man with mental health issues to go on a mass stabbing spree that killed six and left 12 others wounded?
Authorities have identified the 40 year old male suspect who went on a mass stabbing frenzy at Bondi Junction Westfield as a Queensland man who came to N.S.W just over a month ago. The man according to authorities was known to have mental health issues.
Joel Cauchi, 40, a former Brisbane resident was named as the male suspect seen wearing an Australian rugby league jersey who stabbed six dead, with another 12 wounded during Saturday afternoon’s attack.
The man fatally stabbed four women and one man before being shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott. Five of the six people killed were women while nine of the 12 in hospital are female patients, NSW Police revealed. It remained unclear if Cauchi had set out to target females during Saturday’s attack.
Joel Cauchi Facebook posts: liked guns, surfing & solicited escort dates
John Singleton daughter, 25, id as Westfield fatal victim
The offender in yesterday’s stabbing at Westfield Bondi Junction has been named as 40 year old Joel Cauchi from Queensland. His actions were not ideologically driven and it wasn’t terrorism. He had a problem with his mental health. pic.twitter.com/OV0ANgz7eg
— Assiduously Julie (@awaterevalley) April 13, 2024
Suffering from mental health issues
Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke addressing during a press brief said Cauchi was known to police and originally hailed from Queensland.
Told Cooke in a statement: ‘We know that shortly after coming to Sydney, he took possession of a storage facility that has been identified and we have worked through that very small storage facility.’
Cooke said the attacker ‘very clearly’ had been suffering from mental health issues.
‘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,’ the statement continued.
‘Investigations will very clearly continue through the day.’
Cooke said police had spoken with the man’s family who were assisting the investigation.
‘We have recovered no intelligence that we have gathered that would suggest that this was driven by any particular motivation, ideology or otherwise,’ he said.
‘We know that the offender in the matter suffered from mental health, 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.’
Mall Stabbings – 6 dead, baby and others wounded
Sydney, Australia – Westfield Bondi Junction
– “Not terrorism”
– Unnamed suspect “known to law enforcement” (40M)
– Russian man fought ‘non-terrorist’ 👍
– Lone police officer Amy Scott shot suspect 👏https://t.co/NNRPelaNEN— Brendan (@BrendanMcInnis) April 13, 2024
Appeared to be on drugs
Police are currently searching through the ‘very small storage facility’ the suspect took possession of shortly after arriving in NSW.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb while addressing the media Saturday night said that police were confident the attack was that of a lone assailant.
Webb stressed that police did not believe the killer had an ‘ideation’, meaning it was likely not a terrorist attack.
Police have launched an investigation that will probe the man’s background, vehicle and associates.
She said police do not yet know if the man was under the effects of alcohol or drugs during the attack.
Nevertheless, eye witness at the scene said that the assailant appeared to be ‘on drugs’ during the attacks.
Police are still searching for any motive for the attack.
‘It will take a thorough investigation, it will take time for us to go back in his life and history to determine that,’ she said.
Commissioner Webb said it was too early to know if the man was targeting any specific group or gender.
‘Given the environment, it’s possible that it’s random, but it’s too early to speculate,’ she said.
