‘Obvious’ killer targeted women, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb says

The majority of people killed and injured at Bondi Junction on Saturday were women, with police pointing to an ‘obvious’ pattern.

Police say it’s obvious from footage that Joel Cauchi targeted women in Saturday’s horrific shopping centre attack.

Five women died, plus one male security guard, and the nation wants to know what drove Cauchi’s horrific attack at Bondi Junction Westfield on Saturday.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said it was obvious to her and detectives that Cauchi had focused on women and avoided men during the attack.

“The videos speak for themselves, don’t they? That’s certainly a line of inquiry for us. It’s obvious to me, it’s obvious to detectives that it seems to be an area of interest that the offender had focused on women and avoided the men,” Ms Webb told ABC News Breakfast.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the Bondi Junction attacker obviously targeted women. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

At least 12 people were hospitalised from the attack, mostly females.

“We don’t know what was operating in the mind of the offender and that’s why it’s important now that detectives spend as much time interviewing those who know him, were around him, close to him, so we can get some insight into what he might have been thinking,” Ms Webb said.

Five of the six people killed were women. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Female police inspector Amy Scott was the first officer into the shopping centre and she shot and killed Cauchi, 40.

Inspector Scott had sought privacy and time with her family since Saturday afternoon, Ms Webb said.

“She’s been operational her whole career. We apply be in this job, we’re trained to do this, but we’re not often faced with it,” Ms Webb said.

“So she’ll be processing all of that and she will be formally interviewed by the detectives tomorrow.”

A man, later identified as Damien Guerot, threatens Joel Cauchi with a bollard during the attack. Picture: 9 News

Anthony Albanese said Inspector Scott was due recognition.

“It’s a time also to give due recognition to the NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott who ran towards danger and took down the perpetrator, thereby removing the threat, which no doubt would have gone on to other people as well,” the Prime Minister told ABC Radio National on Monday.

The gender “breakdown” of Cauchi’s targets was concerning, the Prime Minister said.

“NSW Police have said they’re looking at that as part of the investigation. The gender breakdown is of course concerning,” he said.

“All of that investigation will take place, it will be comprehensive, and nothing will not be looked at in this matter,” he said.

In the latest update on the injured on Monday, NSW Health said eight people remained in hospital, including five in intensive care and three others in a stable condition.

In a statement read by police, Cauchi’s parents said “Joel’s actions were truly horrific and we are still trying to comprehend what has happened. He has battled with mental health issues since he was a teenager”.

Police have finished forensically analysing the shopping centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Rohan Kelly

“We are in contact with both the NSW Police Force and Queensland Police Service and have no issues with the police officer who shot our son as she was only doing her job to protect others and we hope she is coping alright.”

Originally published as ‘Obvious’ killer targeted women, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb says