Seven people are dead - including Cauchi, who was shot dead by a policewoman who is being credited for her bravery - and 12 more, including a baby, are in hospital after a mass stabbing at a busy Sydney shopping centre.
Central Metropolitan Region commander and Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke revealed this morning Cauchi came to New South Wales last month.
Cauchi was known to Queensland Police, but Cooke would not confirm how he was known. He did confirm he had well-documented mental health problems.
Cauchi’s family has been spoken to by police and they are co-operating in their investigations, Cooke said.
“There is no information that we have received, no evidence we have recovered, no intelligence we have gathered that would suggest that this was driven by any particular motivation, ideology or otherwise,” Cooke said.
“We know the offender in the matter suffers from mental health [problems].”
The man, armed with a knife inside the Bondi shopping mall, was shot dead by a policewoman.
Cooke said police are also speaking with the families of the victims, two of whom have no family in Australia.
Nine of the 12 people injured were woman and five of the six killed as well. Cooke said he did not know if gender was a factor for Cauchi when he began his attack.
Two men and a 9-month year old baby were also injured.
Cooke pleaded to the public for any people who were witnesses to the stabbings and have not come forward to present themselves, so they can provide support.
He said he would hope that “everyone should respect everyone’s feelings” when speculating on the religion and motive of the attacker. He would not say if “public mischief” charges would be sought for those sharing false information on the attacker’s identity.
#BREAKING A man from nowhere entered into Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction and stabbed six people!!!
“Can I just say how proud we are of the actions of the officer involved,” he said.
Among the victims at Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre was a 9-month-old baby, who was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital and who was undergoing surgery last night.
Some of those injured were believed to be seriously or critically ill, Cooke said.
“The baby got stabbed. The mum got stabbed and the mum came over with the baby and threw it at me... it looked pretty bad”, a man told a 9 News reporter after the 3.20pm incident (5.20pm NZT).
Another woman, in tears, told ABC News she heard gunshots as she hid in a backroom.
“Who does that to people?... I just came out of the gym, I was living my life and then I thought I was going to die.”
The incident was “shocking and appalling”, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the victims, the loved ones of those killed and injured, and the Australian people,” Peters said.
In a statement by NSW police, they encouraged any witnesses, anyone with information or mobile phone vision who has not yet spoken to police, is urged to call police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
