Bondi Junction Stabbings: How Joel Cauchi’s reign of terror unfolded

The Daily Telegraph can detail what police believe Joel Cauchi’s movements were before and during the stabbing attack that has so far claimed six lives and shocked Australia.

As Joel Cauchi sat in Oxford St mall about 10am on Saturday eating a meal at Saigon Noodles, he could have been any other shopper in the busy Bondi Junction precinct.

But his sinister actions five hours later mean he will forever be remembered as the man responsible for one of the darkest days in Sydney’s history.

The Daily Telegraph can detail what police believe Cauchi’s movements were before and during the attack that has so far claimed six lives and shocked Australia.

After having an Asian meal for brunch, Cauchi travelled away from the city’s busiest shopping strip to the inner southern suburbs, where, about noon, he visited a small storage unit he had been renting.

From there he is believed to have caught a train back to Bondi Junction station.

He was again seen walking through Oxford St mall and into the shopping centre about 3pm, but for an unknown reason Cauchi walked out of Westfield again a short time later, only to return 20 minutes later.

As he walked through the shopping centre’s sliding doors at 3.20pm, in his backpack was a knife, about 30cm long.

After taking an escalator up to Level 4, Cauchi pulled out his weapon as he walked past Sourdough Bakery, a popular cafe in the middle of the concourse between RM Williams and Country Road, and launched his first attack.

How he picked his victim will forever be a mystery.

Cauchi then moved through the complex, attacking mother Ashlee Good near Cotton On, who then handed her injured daughter over to strangers in the hope they could save the infant’s life.

Joel Cauchi’s started attacking people at 3.20pm. Picture: 9 News

He then fatally stabbed Dawn Singleton, the daughter of millionaire businessman John, near Chanel.

Cauchi’s rampage continued with him also attacking two Westfield security guards, one of them — Faraz Tahir — died from his injuries.

As he moved between walking and running through Westfield, Cauchi slashed at other victims — the majority of them women — including mother-of-two Jade Yound, who also died.

On the escalator between Level 3 and Level 4 he was confronted by a man, wielding a bollard, with a witness filming the moment of bravery that likely saved more lives.

Somehow Cauchi found another way to get himself up to Level 5, where he moved at speed past the food court, as parents rushed children inside clothes stores which pulled their shutters down to provide some safety.

It was at this time that one frightened man could be seen tripping over his feet as Cauchi moved towards him, before another father put out his arms to protect his wife and children, directing the mass murder in another direction.

Hero police officer Amy Scott shot Cauchi to stop his rampage, then immediately performed CPR on him. Picture: Matrix

Moments later Inspector Amy Scott arrived on Level 5, and with a group of men following to help, ran towards Cauchi yelling at him to “drop the knife”.

When he raised the weapon and moved towards her, she fired her gun – neutralising the threat, before unsuccessfully trying to perform CPR.

Jason Dickson told of the incredible moment the police officer shot Cauchi dead, only to then unsuccessfully try and to revive him.

“I jumped off the bus and saw everybody running,” Mr Dickson said.

“I followed the cop and as we got to the top fifth and sixth floor we got around the corner she said ‘put it down’ and then two second later she shot him.

“She pulled the knife away and she started doing CPR on him.”

Tayakorn Sai-ngen was working his usual shift in the food court when people started screaming and running past him.

“The first things I saw was people just rushing to the food court area, then in the other direction I saw the police officer running, and people carrying a chair,” he said.

“That’s when I saw the police officer try to stop the man — in that moment I didn’t know what happened.

“The next moment he had turned his back and was coming towards her (the police officer).

“She tried to stop him but he kept coming and she shot him.

“He collapsed on the floor, the blood just pouring out of his body.”

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Originally published as Bondi Junction Stabbings: How Joel Cauchi’s reign of terror unfolded