A mother who was killed in the Sydney mall attack shared a heartbreaking final post before her tragic death.

The Australian, Sydney suburb of Bondi has been rocked by the fatal stabbings of six people inside the Westfield shopping center on Saturday (April 13).

New South Wales Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke disclosed to a news conference that the knifeman, identified by police as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, walked into the mall at about 3:20PM where he "caused harm" to dozens of people by "stabbing them with a weapon he was carrying." The weapon "was most likely a knife," Cooke revealed, according to NBC News.

The stabbing spree only ended when the 40-year-old suspect was shot dead at the scene by an officer who single-handedly chased him through the area.

While a motive has not yet been revealed, police commissioner Karen Webb confirmed investigators would look at whether Cauchi had been targeting women and children specifically.

"The videos (of the attack) speak for themselves don’t they," Webb said, as cited by CNN. "It’s obvious to me, it’s obvious to the detectives that that seems to be an area of interest, that the offender had focused on women and avoided the men."

However, authorities warned the investigation could take a while as cops will interview witnesses and follow different lines of inquiry.

Among the victims killed was Ashlee Good, who her family described in a statement as "a beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all-round outstanding human and so much more," per CNN.

The 38-year-old passed her injured nine-month-old daughter to bystanders soon after being wounded in the attack. The pair were rushed to the hospital but tragically, the mother succumbed to her injuries.

Just hours before the horror unfolded, the mom posted a heartwrenching picture to her social media with her baby in her arms. "Only because I was walking past and happened to be wearing the same thing 9 months out vs 9 months in etc etc," the caption read, as shared by Daily Mail.

The outlet also reported that Good posted a short video of her daughter sitting in a car seat with The Temptations song 'My Girl' playing the background.

The late woman's family expressed their gratitude to the medical team at Sydney's Children's Hospital, the police, and to the two men who "cared for our baby when Ashlee could not".

"We appreciate the well-wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashlee and our baby girl," they added in their statement, as cited by BBC News.

Good's daughter received emergency surgery and is "currently doing well," the family confirmed in a statement. Minister for Health Park said the infant had moved from critical to serious, which was "a significant improvement" and doctors hoped to move the baby onto a ward in the following days.

"In the darkest of times comes sometimes the brightest of lights,” he continued. "Staff have literally performed miracles and people are alive because of their efforts."

Good's family and friends have also set up a GoFundMe page to help with financial costs. As of this writing, $250,490 has been raised of the $100,000 target.

Of those killed in the attack, five were women named Ashlee Good, Pikria Darchia, Dawn Singleton, Jade Young, and Yixuan Cheng. A male victim named Faraz Tahir, a security guard at the shopping center, was also fatally stabbed.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attack as "unspeakable" and "really just beyond comprehension," adding: "People going about their Saturday afternoon shopping should be safe, shouldn’t be at risk."

"But tragically, we saw a loss of life, and people will be grieving for loved ones today," he said. "We also know there are many people still in hospital dealing with recovery, and our thoughts and prayers are with them."

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of all victims.

Featured image credit: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty

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.

Featured image credit: New South Wales Police

Australian police believe the suspect who stabbed several people at a busy Sydney mall specifically targeted women.

New South Wales Police confirmed that on Saturday (April 13), a knifeman, identified as Joel Cauchi, walked into Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction at about 3:20PM where he "caused harm" to many people.

The 40-year-old fatally stabbed six victims inside the mall - which is in the Sydney suburb of Bondi - with a weapon that was most likely a knife," according to NBC News.

Numerous others were also critically injured in the ordeal, including a young child.

The horror incident only ended when the 40-year-old suspect was shot dead at the scene by an officer who single-handedly pursued him through the shopping center.

The victims of the stabbing spree were Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Dawn Singleton, 25, Ashlee Good, 38, and Yixuan Cheng, who is believed to be in her 20s. The only man killed in the attack was security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, who tried to intervene.

While a motive has not yet been disclosed, police commissioner Karen Webb confirmed investigators would look at whether Cauchi had been targeting women and children specifically.

"The videos (of the attack) speak for themselves don’t they," Webb said, as cited by CNN. "It’s obvious to me, it’s obvious to the detectives that that seems to be an area of interest, that the offender had focused on women and avoided the men."

"We don't know what was operating in the mind of the offender and that's why it's important now that detectives spend so much time interviewing those who know him," she added. However, authorities warned the investigation could take a while as cops will interview witnesses and follow different lines of inquiry.

Cauchi was known to police in neighboring Queensland, but he had not been arrested or charged with anything there before Saturday's events.

His father, Andrew Cauchi, told reporters his son had battled with mental illness and recently stopped taking his medication. "To you, he is a monster. To me, he was a very sick boy," he said.

"He wanted a girlfriend and he's got no social skills and he was frustrated out of his brain," Andrew explained when asked about why his son may have targeted women.

One of the women to have been killed was 38-year-old Ashlee Good, who protected her baby daughter by giving her to bystanders when she was wounded by the suspect. The pair were rushed to the hospital but tragically, the mother succumbed to her injuries.

Just hours before the horror unfolded, the mom posted a heartbreaking final social media post with her baby in her arms. "Only because I was walking past and happened to be wearing the same thing 9 months out vs 9 months in etc etc," the caption read, as shared by Daily Mail.

Good's family expressed their gratitude to the medical team at Sydney's Children's Hospital, the police, and to the two men who "cared for our baby when Ashlee could not".

"We appreciate the well-wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashlee and our baby girl," they added in their statement, as cited by BBC News.

Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of all victims.

Featured image credit: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty

The Bondi suburb of Sydney, Australia, is reeling from the devastating loss of six lives in a stabbing rampage that shook the Westfield shopping center on Saturday, April 13.

According to New South Wales Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke, the assailant, identified as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, entered the mall around 3:20PM and inflicted harm on numerous individuals by stabbing them with a weapon he carried.

Cooke stated that the weapon was likely a knife, as reported by NBC News.

The spree of violence came to a halt when a lone officer pursued and fatally shot the suspect on-site.

The parents of Joel Cauchi, the man behind the horrific Bondi Junction incident, have described their son as a "monster" who harbored a deep-seated hatred towards women due to his frustration over his inability to find a girlfriend.

His parents, Michele and Andrew Cauchi, shared their anguish over their son's actions, per the Daily Mail.

Speaking from their home in Toowoomba, southern Queensland, the Cauchis disclosed that Joel had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had lived with them until he was 35.

His descent into violence began when he attempted to stop taking his prescribed anti-psychotic medication in a bid to reclaim a semblance of normalcy in his life.

"How do you love a monster? Give birth to them!" expressed Andrew. "I loved my son. But he had a fascination with knives. He had a problem with women, he couldn't get a girlfriend."

Despite their pain, Michele expressed her profound remorse for her son's actions, emphasizing that Joel had been under medical care for 18 years.

She revealed how diligently Joel had followed his medication regimen until he decided, with the guidance of his doctor, to taper off it gradually.

However, this decision, meant to grant him a chance at a better life, tragically led to a deterioration of his mental state. "When he came off, it was like his eyes had … it had all lifted from him and he wanted to have a life," Michele explained.

Reflecting on Joel's upbringing, the Cauchis reminisced about his promising academic achievements and the fondness his teachers had for him. Despite his struggles with mental health, Joel had been described as a hardworking student who enjoyed a wide circle of friends.

Andrew acknowledged his son's social challenges, attributing his violent outburst to a deep-seated frustration stemming from his inability to form romantic relationships. "He targeted women in the ruthless attack because he wanted a girlfriend and he's got no social skills. He was frustrated out of his brain," Andrew said.

In the midst of their agony, the Cauchis grappled with the harrowing reality of watching footage of their son's rampage. "But I'm prepared to do that because I love my son and I want to find out what's wrong," Andrew declared.

He added: "To you, he is a monster. To me, he was a very sick boy."

Our thoughts continue to be with all those who lost loved ones during this attack.

If you or anybody you know is struggling with mental health, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. Speaking to somebody will always help.

Featured image credit: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty

The parents of the Westfield Mall perpetrator who fatally stabbed several people have recalled the moment they knew their son was a murderer.

As previously reported, six people lost their lives on Saturday (April 13) after a knifeman identified as Joel Cauchi carried out a deadly attack at Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction.

The victims were five women named Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Dawn Singleton, 25, Ashlee Good, 38, and Yixuan Cheng, as well as a 30-year-old male security guard named Faraz Tahir.

Numerous others were also critically injured in the heartbreaking incident, including Good's nine-month-old baby.

Following the shocking events, the 40-year-old suspect's parents, Andrew and Michele Cauchi - who are in their 70s and live in Toowoomba - opened up about their son's behavior prior to the attack.

Five weeks before Joel armed himself with a knife, he sent his mom a video message of Coogee Beach with the caption: "Mom, I just want to show you how beautiful Coogee Beach [is]," according to ABC.

The message offered the concerned parents a sense of relief as they had been desperately trying to make contact with their youngest child. In fact, that same day his worried mom had contacted his bank, asking: "I don't want to know what's in his account. I just want to know my son's still alive. Is he still using his account?"

However, the parents had no idea that their son, who had suffered from schizophrenia for all of his adult life, was teetering on the edge and that the last time they'd get an update was from national television.

Andrew and Michele called the police after realizing that the man on a murderous rampage at the shopping mall was Joel, per News.com.au.

"I walked in, and my wife said, 'It looks like Joel.' I said, 'It does a bit,' but he had his head down," Andrew said. "So I watched and watched and watched."

The Cauchis disclosed that their late son, who graduated from the University of Southern Queensland, decided to stop taking mental health medication after 18 years of treatment.

"When he came off [the medication], it was like it had all lifted from him and he wanted to have a life," his mom said. "After living at home until he was 35, he went to Brisbane, so he wasn’t with his doctor anymore."

The attacker moved between Brisbane, Toowoomba, and the Gold Coast before informing his parents that he lost his Brisbane rental in January 2023.

Andrew picked his son up and allowed him to move back home. But problems soon arose after the father refused to allow Joel to keep his deadly United States Army combat knives in the house.

The dad recalled this devasting moment, sharing: "I said to Joel, 'You can stay here as long as you like, but you are not going to have these in my house.' So I took them off him, knowing that there was going to be pandemonium in my house but I was willing to put up with it."

Joel shockingly called the authorities on his family, alleging that they had stolen his knives before driving to Tweed Heads the following day to purchase himself more.

As police continue to search for a motive behind the horrific killing spree, Joel's distraught parents have apologized for their son’s actions on multiple occasions.

Andrew said he was "heartbroken" and "extremely sorry" for the victims, and told reporters: "He's my son. And I'm loving a monster - to you, he's a monster. To me, he was a very sick boy," per Sky News.

Featured image credit: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty