New South Wales (NSW) Police have identified the man responsible for the deadly stabbing attack at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi from Queensland.
Speaking to the media on Sunday morning, Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke, Central Metropolitan Region Commander, said Cauchi from the Brisbane area moved to NSW last month and rented a "very small" storage facility. He had been known to Queensland Police who are now helping the investigation.
"We know that the offender in the matter suffers from mental health issues," Cooke said.
"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."
He said police still had not established a motivation for the attack and investigations will very clearly continue through the day.
Police have been in contact with Cauchi's family.
The investigation into the attack continues, with detectives focusing on Cauchi's background and associates. The 40-year-old was shot dead by a police officer after a stabbing rampage that claimed the lives of six people - four women and one man who died at the scene, and another woman who succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
Eight others, including a nine-month-old baby undergoing surgery, remain hospitalized after the attack triggered a chaotic evacuation of the shopping centre. Witnesses described scenes of panic and confusion as shoppers scrambled for safety.
NSW Police, assisted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), are leading the investigation. Authorities stressed there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the events have shocked the entire nation, praising heroic officer Amy Scott who shot the offender at Bondi junction.
"Australians are waking up to try to deal with the shock and trauma that will come with what has occurred, with violent actions that are unspeakable and really just beyond comprehension," he said.
"We also though at this time give thanks to our police and emergency services. The wonderful inspector who ran into danger by herself and removed the threat that was there to others, without thinking about the risks to herself."
NSW Premier Chris Minns is flying back to Sydney from a family holiday in Japan.
“This is a terrible, violent crime and my heart goes out to those that have lost loved ones,” Minns said. “It’s a truly shocking day in the state’s history.”
