By Lia Harris and Sean Tarek Goodwin, ABC News
Six people were killed in the stabbing rampage at Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction on 13 April. Photo: ABC News: Brendan Esposito
- A coronial inquest into the Bondi Junction mass stabbing will investigate potential failings in the mental health system and shopping centre security protocols
- Joel Cauchi fatally stabbed six people and seriously injured several others inside the Westfield shopping centre in Sydney's eastern suburbs on 13 April
- An extensive coronial inquest will begin in April next year
The man who fatally stabbed six people in Bondi Junction had not been taking medication to treat his mental illness, prompting his parents to confiscate his hunting knives, a coroner's court has heard.
The NSW Coroners Court on Tuesday heard an inquest will examine potential failings in the mental health system both in New South Wales and Queensland in the lead-up to the killings at Westfield shopping centre on 13 April.
The court heard it will also examine the adequacy of the shopping centre's security response, including why no alarm sounded inside the centre until after Joel Cauchi had been shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.
The counsel assisting the coroner, Dr Peggy Dwyer SC, today laid out the key issues in a preliminary hearing ahead of an extensive inquest next year.
Cauchi was chased and shot by a police officer, Inspector Amy Scott, who has since been hailed a hero. Photo: ABC News: Brendan Esposito
The court heard in the years before he stabbed 16 shoppers with a large hunting knife, Cauchi had been off his "psychotropic medication" previously used to treat his schizophrenia since 2019.
The court heard he remained off his medication until the attack, despite repeated warnings being raised with authorities about his deteriorating mental health.
"From early 2020 through to 13 April, 2024, there was no particular treatment directed at Cauchi's mental health and the evidence suggests a deterioration in his mental health over that time," Dr Dwyer told the court.
The court then heard that although Cauchi had never been charged with a crime, he "came to the attention" of Queensland Police several times in the years before he came to Sydney.
Queensland Police went to his parents' Toowoomba home in January 2023 after Cauchi called them to report that his father had stolen his collection of hunting knives.
"These were the same type of knife used in the Bondi attack," the court heard.
Police were advised that Cauchi "had long-term schizophrenia, was no longer medicated and that his parents were worried about the deterioration of his mental state and that's why his knives had been confiscated by his father".
"Police officers did not consider they had a basis to detain Mr Cauchi involuntarily at that time," Dwyer told the court.
The court heard one of the officers then sent an email to a mental health specialist "raising concerns about his mental health", but no further steps were taken.
Cauchi called police days later to again report the knives stolen, prompting an officer to enter a "be on the lookout" flag in the system.
The court heard Cauchi travelled between Queensland and NSW during 2023 and 2024 and at the time of the Bondi attack he was homeless and "living under the Maroubra beach pavilion".
Shoppers and staff hid in stores, cowering in back rooms for more than two hours. Photo: ABC News: Brendan Esposito
In the months before the attack, a member of the public called NSW Police to report a body in a sleeping bag at Maroubra "that wasn't moving".
NSW Police attended and found Cauchi had warning attached to his name in the system in Queensland, which mentioned his mental health and his affinity for knives.
"One issue I expect will loom large is that when Mr Cauchi was in NSW he was homeless," Dwyer told the court.
"I expect Your Honour will hear from at least one expert psychologist that there is a strong need for sustained serviced housing of mentally ill homeless persons … which includes men like Mr Cauchi who are experiencing schizophrenia … who fall through the cracks and then become acutely unwell."
The day of the attack
The court heard on the morning of 13 April, Cauchi was "sleeping rough" around the Maroubra area and made his way from there to a storage unit he was renting in Waterloo about 6.30am.
He spent an hour and a half at the storage unit, charging his phone and changing his clothes before leaving.
In the days after the attack, a sea of flowers bloomed on the pavement outside the shopping centre as people came to pay their respects. Photo: ABC News: Brendan Esposito
The court heard he then returned to the unit about 11.10am and retrieved a backpack "this time tragically with the knife hidden inside".
Just after 3pm, he entered Westfield Bondi Junction and "walked in and out of the shopping centre and several shops with no apparent aim".
The court heard Cauchi then lined up at a bakery on level 4 behind Dawn Singleton just after 3.30pm.
"After fidgeting for a few minutes, Mr Cauchi removed the knife from his backpack … he stabbed and fatally injured Dawn," Dwyer told the court.
Dawn Singleton was the first of 16 victims.
Dwyer told the court the CCTV showed Cauchi then "proceeded to stab and attempt to stab any person he came close to".
The court heard he went on to fatally stab Jade Young, Yixuan Cheng, Ashlee Good, Faraz Tahir and Pikria Darchia.
Dwyer told the court of the moment Good confronted Cauchi to save her baby daughter.
There were five victims who died at the scene. The sixth victim died in hospital. Photo: ABC News
"When Ashlee was stabbed, she then turned and saw Mr Cauchi attacking her daughter's pram … she ran at him and fought him off, receiving another stab wound as a result of that … but undoubtedly saving the life of her daughter," Dwyer told the court.
The court heard "in less than three minutes, 16 people were stabbed and injured in what appeared to be indiscriminate attacks".
The police response
Following a triple-0 call at 3.34pm, an emergency call-out was broadcast over the police radio, which was received by Inspector Scott who was in her car on her way to Bondi Junction for another job.
Scott entered the centre alone at 3.37pm and the court heard she was directed to Cauchi's location on level 4 by witnesses, some of whom followed behind her "armed with chairs".
Scott then spotted Cauchi and ran after him as he ran towards a long footbridge.
Inspector Amy Scott shot and killed Cauchi less than one and a half minutes after she arrived at the centre. Photo: ABC News: Adam Griffiths
The court heard Cauchi turned around and "charged towards Inspector Scott with the knife held out" as she yelled for him to "stop and drop the weapon".
"Mr Cauchi did not stop and at 3.38pm Inspector Scott discharged her firearm three times, with two shots hitting him, one in the neck and one in the shoulder," Dwyer told the court.
"One minute and 19 seconds had elapsed from the time of Inspector Scott's arrival."
The court heard the inquest will also examine the response from emergency services after Cauchi was killed, including whether "a concern about a potential second armed offender" inside the centre may have "impacted" the treatment of victims.
Shopping centre security response
Dwyer told the court a significant "area of interest" for the inquest will be the security arrangements in place at Westfield Bondi Junction, owned by Scentre Group, at the time of the attack.
The court heard there were 15 security officers employed by the centre on the day, including those subcontracted on an "ad hoc basis".
"The court will hear about the locations of the security officers on that Saturday and the actions of the security officers, including those in the CCTV room," Dwyer told the court.
She told the court there was "significant public interest" as to whether the risk assessment and planning was "good enough and whether it can be improved … and whether security guards are adequately trained and equipped to deal with those dynamic events".
NSW Premier Chris Minns has said a permanent memorial will be built to honour the victims of the attack. Photo: ABC News: Greg Bigelow
She also told the court "no alarm sounded within Westfield Bondi until about one minute after Mr Cauchi was shot".
"It is presently unclear as to why it took so long for the alarm to sound," Dwyer said.
The court also heard the alarm that sounded after he died was "so loud it impaired [first responders'] ability to communicate with one another, including on radio".
The brothers of Faraz Tahir, the security guard who was killed in the attack, spoke outside the court.
"Faraz, he was a brave man, and as you know he was barehanded, he was on duty at the time and he was just trying to stop the attacker and gave his life," his younger brother Sheraz said.
He said Tahir's family was hopeful the inquest would result in better protection for security guards in those situations.
"I hope there will be some changes for the security guards, so they can secure them and secure their lives because they are also securing others' lives."
Full inquest to take place in 2025
The court was told an extensive coronial inquest will be held from 28 April until 30 May next year.
The coroner will then consider any possible recommendations to help prevent similar attacks in the future.
In opening today's directions hearing, State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan directly addressed the victims' families, acknowledging "the unimaginable pain and loss".
"This inquest will never give back what has been take from you," she said.
"It is my earnest hope it will provide you with a better understanding of what happened as well as meaningful recommendations as to how to prevent similar tragic events in the future."
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