SYDNEY, Australia: Australian police have identified a 40-year-old man, who went on a stabbing rampage at a Sydney shopping center, that killed six people and left more in critical condition.
The man was said to have been suffering from an unknown mental illness.
New South Wales police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said Sunday the man had come from the northeast state of Queensland and was known to law enforcers.
"There is still to this point nothing that we have, no information we have received, no evidence we have recovered, no intelligence that we have gathered that would suggest that this was driven by any particular motivation, ideology or otherwise," said Cooke.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) stands with federal member of parliament Allegra Spender (center) as they talk to police after leaving flowers outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall in Sydney on April 14, 2024, the day after a 40-year-old knifeman with mental illness roamed the packed shopping centre killing six people and seriously wounding a dozen others. AFP PHOTO People react outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Families walk out of the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO A family leaves the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Police enter the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Police cordon off the area outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Armed police patrol outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Paramedics push stretchers into the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall to retrieve the injured after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Police patrol in front of the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (center), New South Wales Premier Chris Minns (3rd from right) and federal member of parliament Allegra Spender (2nd from left) leave flowers with other officials outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall in Sydney on April 14, 2024, the day after a 40-year-old knifeman with mental illness roamed the packed shopping center killing six people and seriously wounding a dozen others. AFP PHOTO An emergency evacuation message is seen on the main entrance of the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Paramedics are seen with stretchers outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) stands with federal member of parliament Allegra Spender (center) as they talk to police after leaving flowers outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall in Sydney on April 14, 2024, the day after a 40-year-old knifeman with mental illness roamed the packed shopping centre killing six people and seriously wounding a dozen others. AFP PHOTO Police patrol in front of the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO People react outside the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall after a stabbing incident in Sydney on April 13, 2024. AFP PHOTO
"We know that the offender in the matter suffered from, suffers from mental health."
The 40-year-old man — who was shot dead by a senior police officer at the scene Saturday — was named as Joel Cauchi.
A Facebook profile said he came from Toowoomba, near Brisbane, and had attended a local high school and university.
A distinctive gray, red and yellow dragon tattoo on his right arm was used to help identify him.
He is believed to have traveled to Sydney about a month ago and hired a small storage unit in the city.
It contained personal belongings, including a boogie board.
Police are still trying to understand whether those attacked were chosen at random.
Five women and one man were killed during Cauchi's Saturday afternoon rampage, which took place in a bustling shopping center in Sydney's Bondi Junction neighborhood, not far from the famous beach.
Among the injured was a 9-month-old baby girl who was said to be in a "serious but stable condition in hospital."
The baby's mother is believed to have succumbed to her injuries after desperately passing the child to strangers in the hope they could save the newborn's life.
Two of the victims are said to have no family in Australia and attempts are being made to contact the relatives overseas.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australians — who are largely unaccustomed to incidents of violent crime — were struggling to understand an "unspeakable" attack that is "really just beyond comprehension."
"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."
Albanese said he had received messages from US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, among others.
He again hailed the officer who shot Cauchi dead as a hero.
The "wonderful inspector," he said, "ran into danger by herself... without thinking about the risks to herself."