The hero police officer who brought an end to the horrific deadly rampage in Sydney on Saturday has been identified.
On April 13, New South Wales Police say a 40-year-old Joel Cauchi entered the Westfield Shopping Center in Bondi Junction just after 3:00PM.
Brandishing a knife, Cauchi started to attack members of the public in a chaotic spree that has currently resulted in six victims losing their lives. Reports state that a dozen others - including a nine-month-old baby - are currently in hospital being treated for their injuries.
Cauchi's rampage came to an end when he was confronted by a lone hero cop.
Anthony Cooke, the assistant commissioner of New South Wales Police has told reporters on Saturday that
"[The officer] confronted the offender who had moved, by this stage, to level five," Cooke said. "As she continued to walk quickly behind to catch up with him he turned to face her, raised a knife, she discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased."
Now, BBC News has reported that the heroic officer has been named as Police Inspector Amy Scott.
Inspector Scott was in Bondi Junction carrying out her regular duties when she received reports of the unfolding events.
Witnesses reported that she was the first responder on the scene and was promptly directed by shoppers to the fifth floor of the complex.
Recalling the terrifying moment Cauchi's spree was ended, one witness said, per The Independent: "[Cauchi] just started floating towards us and all I heard was ‘put it down’ and then she shot him.
"But we were in no doubt, if she didn’t shoot him, he would have kept going. He was on the rampage. Then she walked over and gave him CPR. He had a big blade on him – she chucked the knife away. He looked like he was on a killing spree."
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has commended Inspector Scott's bravery, saying: "She is certainly a hero. There is no doubt that she saved lives through her action."
PM Albanese later added that Inspector Scott's actions are "a reminder that those people who wear uniform are people who rush to danger, not away from it".
Similarly, Karen Webb, the head of the state's police force, praised Inspector Scott's remarkable courage and noted that she is coping well given the circumstances.
What We Know About The Attacks So Far
Incident Details: As a result of Saturday's horrifying stabbing rampage in Sydney, it has been confirmed that six victims have lost their lives, and a dozen others sustained injuries.
The incident took place just after 3:00PM on Saturday afternoon at the busy Westfield's Bondi Junction mall, with police and first responders being dispatched at around 3:30PM. Eyewitnesses have recounted scenes of chaos and terror as shoppers fled the violent attack, seeking refuge in nearby stores to escape the assailant's onslaught. Others have stated how the assailant appeared to be targeting people at random.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed profound shock and disbelief at the senseless attacks, describing the incident as "beyond words and understanding".
A motive for the attack is still unknown, but authorities have stated that the knifeman was "acting alone" and that it is not deemed to be a "terror-related" incident.
Casualties: According to New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb, the initial death toll from the attack included the tragic deaths of four women and one man at the shopping mall. Another woman later succumbed to her injuries after being rushed to a nearby hospital.
Local reports currently state that a mom-of-two, the daughter of a millionaire businessman, a security guard, and a new mom are among those who were killed in the attacks.
Additionally, eight more individuals are currently receiving treatment for various injuries sustained during the rampage at hospitals across Sydney. Among the injured is a nine-month-old baby who underwent surgery, as confirmed by Webb.
Suspect and Police Response: Law enforcement officials have now named the suspect as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi.
Anthony Cooke, the assistant commissioner of New South Wales Police has told reporters: "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 heroic actions of a female police inspector on the scene, who swiftly neutralized the assailant when he raised his knife in her direction, have been widely praised. Cooke informed reporters of the moment the officer approached the assailant.
"[The officer] confronted the offender who had moved, by this stage, to level five," Cooke said. "As she continued to walk quickly behind to catch up with him he turned to face her, raised a knife, she discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased."
Prime Minister Albanese commended the officer's bravery, saying: "She is certainly a hero. There is no doubt that she saved lives through her action."
A Rare Attack For Australia: The shocking attack has left Australia shaken, a nation where mass casualty events are exceedingly rare.
The incident is a poignant reminder of the nation's scattered but tragic history of violence, with comparisons drawn to past atrocities such as the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, which claimed 35 lives, and the 2019 mass shooting in Darwin that resulted in multiple fatalities. The rarity of such incidents underscores the gravity of the tragedy and the profound impact it has had on the Australian community.
Our thoughts continue to go out to the victims' loved ones and the people of Sydney at this time.
