- Tiffany Turnbull, Jay Savage, Simon Atkinson, Emily Atkinson
- in Sydney and London
image source, Rohan Anderson
A man who stabbed a woman to death at a Sydney shopping center appears to have targeted women, police have said.
Joel Couch, 40, began stabbing people with a long knife on Saturday, causing panic at the crowded Westfield Bondi Junction complex.
Five of the six people who died were women.Several others including a baby girl, I was injured.
The New South Wales Police Commissioner told ABC News Australia it was “clear” Mr Couch was focused on women.
The only person killed in the attack was Faraz Tahir, 30, a security guard who tried to intervene. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Triple M Radio on Monday that he was a refugee from Pakistan who had only been in Australia “for a short period of time.”
“The video speaks for itself, right?” Commissioner Karen Webb said.
“It’s clear to me and the detectives… it’s clear that the perpetrator focused on women and avoided men.
“We don’t know what was going on in the perpetrator’s mind. That’s why it’s important now for detectives to spend as much time interviewing people who know the perpetrator.”
Authorities previously said the attack was most likely “related to the mental health” of Mr. Couch, who was shot and killed by a lone police officer on Saturday.
A special attack unit has been created to investigate the incident, and NSW Police said it could take several months to release its findings.
“The gender breakdown is of course concerning,” Albanese told ABC News.
Ashley Goode, 38, was stabbed to death while trying to protect her 9-month-old baby girl. Her baby girl was also injured and she was rushed into surgery. After several hours of emergency surgery, the baby’s condition has improved significantly, state officials said.
“Sometimes in the darkest times comes the brightest light, and that’s something our entire country was holding on to.” [for]” Health Minister Ryan Park said Monday.
image source, New South Wales Police/PA
Police also named architects Jade Young, 47, and Pikulia Dalchia, 55, as victims, while local media identified Dawn Singleton, 25.
In a social media post, Singleton’s employer remembered her as a “kind-hearted, kind-hearted person who had her whole life ahead of her.”
Mr Albanese confirmed that Chen Yixuan, a Chinese student studying in Sydney, was the last victim. According to ABC News, her family has been contacted and they say she is currently on her way to Australia.
The four people injured in the assault have since been released from hospital. Another eight people continue to be treated in a critical to stable condition, local media said.
The attacker’s father, Andrew Couch, told reporters that his son had struggled with mental illness and had recently stopped taking his medication.
“To you he was a monster. To me he was a very sick boy,” he said in a video posted by The Australian.
When asked why her son targeted women, she added, “My son wanted a girlfriend, but he didn’t have any social skills and was frustrated to the core.”
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New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the “devastating and violent attack” had shocked “everyone in the city”, but also said he would pay A$18 million ($11.6 million) for the police response and the killer’s previous interactions. announced an investigation into the matter ($9.3 million, 9.3 million pounds). We worked with government agencies.
In an interview with ABC News, he also mentioned the possibility of erecting a permanent memorial in Bondi to commemorate the six victims.
Mr Couch was already known to police but had not been arrested or charged in his home state of Queensland. Queensland Police said he had been a wanderer for several years and was first diagnosed with mental illness at the age of 17.
Asked about Mr Couch’s interactions with NSW Police, Deputy Commissioner Anthony Cook said he was only aware of a “mobile situation” when Mr Couch was sleeping rough.
Mr Park said there was no information to suggest Mr Couch had been treated for mental health issues in New South Wales, but said there would be a “deep dive” into Mr Couch’s history.
The attack, which took place at one of the country’s largest and most popular shopping centres, shocked Australia, where mass murders are rare.
Flags across the country will be flown at half-staff on Monday, and the sails of the Sydney Opera House will be lit in memory of the victims.
Thousands of mourners gathered at Bondi Junction to leave flowers and cards for those killed in the attack.