At least six people were killed and eight injured after a man went on a stabbing spree at a Sydney shopping centre on Saturday.
Australian police and ambulance services confirmed the deaths and said that the attacker was shot dead by a female officer outside a discount shop in the shopping centre.
Paramedics say that a nine-month-old baby is among the injured, and the child’s mother, Ashlee Good, was among the fatalities.
Witnesses said the mother, 38, tried to save her baby after they were both stabbed, handing her daughter to two shoppers and begging them to help after she was critically injured. She died later in hospital.
New South Wales Police in a statement: “A critical incident has commenced following the shooting of a male at Bondi Junction.
“Just before 4pm, emergency services were called to Westfield Bondi Junction following reports of multiple people stabbed.”
Who was the attacker?
According to police commissioner Karen Webb, the attacker was 40-year-old Joel Cauchi. Authorities said the attack was most likely “related to the mental health” of Cauchi.
Police are confident he acted alone.
The Cauchi family said: “We are absolutely devastated by the traumatic events that occurred in Sydney yesterday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims and those still undergoing treatment at this time.
“Joel's actions were truly horrific, and we are still trying to comprehend what has happened.”
One eyewitness told ABC News about the police action: “He 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.”
Who were the victims?
Another 12 victims were injured and remain in hospital, including the nine-month-old child.
Of those killed in the attack, five were women and one was a man. The male victim was 30-year-old Faraz Tahir, a security guard at the shopping centre, originally from Pakistan.
Chinese student Yixuan Cheng was another confirmed victim.
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Asked whether she believes he was targeting women, Commissioner Webb told reporters on Sunday it would be “an obvious line of inquiry”.
A lengthy investigation will now take place.
