Westfield Bondi Junction fatal stabbings: Hero cop Amy Scott breaks silence

The hero cop who shot dead mass killer Joel Cauchi, ending his killing spree, had little sleep last night but was “content” with what she did.

The hero cop who shot dead mass killer Joel Cauchi, ending his killing spree, had little sleep last night but was “content” with what she did.

NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott came face-to-face with the 40-year-old man dressed in a Kangaroos rugby league jersey and brandishing a knife as she responded to the fatal stabbings of six people in Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon.

Witnesses said the officer only had time to yell “put it down” before the knifeman charged her. After the man lunged at Inspector Scott, she shot him dead.

“Amy is content with what she had to do,’’ Police Association of NSW boss Kevin Morton said.

“I spoke to her last night and again this morning and she said, ‘It was a night with not a lot of sleep’.”

Amy Scott revealed as the hero cop who shot dead the knifeman.

Amy Scott has been hailed a hero.

Mr Morton said the officer, who he has known personally for years, was playing down the praise she had received.

“She knows she has been tagged a hero but to her she was doing her job. I didn’t ask her about the exact incident, because she is yet to be formally interviewed,” he said.

Straight after the shooting Inspector Scott had to undergo a gun-residue test and was isolated from other officers at the scene before she was driven home by a colleague.

“Everyone will be keeping an eye on her obviously, there will be a lot of support from everyone,’’ he said.

Inspector Scott will be interviewed by homicide detectives later this week as part of the formal investigation into the mass killing.

Her actions brought worldwide acclaim, with The New York Post running a story on Inspector Scott, calling her a veteran officer “who ­single-handedly stopped a knife-wielding madman who killed six people”.

She also drew praise here at home, including from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and NSW Premier Chris Minns, as well as NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb.

“She showed enormous courage and bravery,” Ms Webb said.

The police boss said she spoke to the officer after the ordeal and said, “She’s OK.”

“We made sure she has everything she needs right now,” Ms Webb said.

The female police officer fired a single bullet and killed the man who terrified Bondi Junction. Picture: Matrix Pictures

Police minister Yasmin Catley spoke with the officer last night.

“I thanked her on behalf of the government and the people of NSW for her courage. She was so humble,” she said.

Ms Catley said the officer told her, “It wasn’t just me, there were a whole lot of bystanders assisting and helping people.”

In 2019, Inspector Scott was recognised at the Rotary Club Police Officer of the Year award ceremony when she received the Demonstrated Courage and Devotion to Duty award.

On Saturday, that courage was on full display, when she met a man on the fifth floor about 4pm, him brandishing a 30cm knife.

The man, who is well known to police, was in the midst of a killing spree.

He had just fatally stabbed six innocent people, and was advancing on the senior officer.

There was only enough time for one warning before he would be upon her.

“Put it down,” she yelled.

The man ignored her and kept advancing.

The woman had no choice. Her years of training and experience kicked in.

She fired.

The bullet went into the man’s chest.

He dropped, bled out and died.

Putting emotions aside, the woman immediately got down on her knees and attempted to save the life of the man she had just shot by giving him CPR until other emergency services officers arrived.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

‘SHE HAD TO SHOOT HIM’

Bondi man Jason Dixon was standing right behind the officer when she shot the crazed man and described the scene to The Sunday Telegraph.

“All she said was ‘Put it down’. Just once. Then she shot him in the chest and he went down,” witness Mr Dixon, 52, said.

“Then when he fell on the ground she was giving him CPR,” Mr Dixon said.

“She had to shoot him, because he just kept coming,” Mr Dixon said. “He had a knife and he wasn’t going to stop.

“He was advancing at her and he was running, coming to get someone else,” Mr Dixon said.

He was armed with a big kitchen knife – one of the knives you use in the meat works.

“She shot him once in the heart or the chest,” he said. “I’m glad she got him, because if he didn’t he would have stabbed her too.”

The man walking through Bondi Junction with a knife.

The man walks with knife through Bondi Junction. Picture: 9News

Shopper flees the attacker.

The female police officer stands over the assailant after he was shot and killed.

Mr Dixon said he had been on a bus but got off when he saw a commotion in the Westfield centre.

“I was getting off the bus and I saw a fella when I was coming around the corner in a yellow and green T-shirt and I heard them screaming and saw them running,” he said.

“So I thought ‘There’s something wrong’.”

“I followed the coppers to the elevators (in Westfield) and I said ‘I’m just going to go in’.

“Just as I followed the copper he came around the corner.

“She said ‘Put it down’.”

Cafe worker Ayush Singh was working just near the unfolding scene and thought he was hearing pranksters before he heard the gunshot.

“I saw a guy with a knife running … to the cafe that I work…,” the 25-year-old Kogarah man said.

“And he just went past and I was trying to look but there was like a wall. I couldn’t see.”

Then he heard the gunshot.

“I saw the guy lying down and the police were trying to save him,” Mr Singh said.

Hundreds of people gathered at the top of the promenade at Bronte Rd outside the centre, which was taped off, until well into Saturday night.

Dozens of police and ambulance vehicles were parked outside the centre.

Originally published as Westfield Bondi Junction fatal stabbings: Hero cop Amy Scott breaks silence