‘I feared delays would be fatal’: Bondi Junction paramedic

A highly decorated NSW paramedic feared patients were dying inside Westfield Bondi Junction while he was forced to wait outside, the inquest into the stabbing attack at the shopping centre heard on Day 3.

A highly decorated NSW paramedic feared patients were dying inside Westfield Bondi Junction while he was forced to wait outside under a direct order from his employer, an inquest has heard.

Critical care paramedic Chris Wilkinson was openly critical of NSW Ambulance while giving evidence on Wednesday at the inquest into Joel Cauchi’s murderous rampage on April 13, 2024.

He said when people were in trouble and called for an ambulance, they expected one to come.

“When Dawn [Singleton] was stabbed, [she] asked a bystander to call the ambulance,” he said. “There is an expectation that if you call an ambulance, it will come.”

However, Mr Wilkinson said organisational policies that prevented paramedics from doing their job were “not good enough”.

NSW Critical Care Paramedic Christopher Wilkinson outside Lidcombe Coroners Court on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Ms Singleton, 25, was the first victim inside the shopping centre on that fateful day, in what police say was a random attack by a “floridly psychotic” Cauchi.

Less than three minutes later, a further five people had been fatally stabbed – Jade Young, 47, Ashlee Good, 38, Yixuan Cheng, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55, and Faraz Tahir, 30.

Another 10 were injured before police Inspector Amy Scott shot Cauchi dead.

Mr Wilkinson, a 42-year veteran officer previously involved in the Thredbo landslide, arrived at the scene less than half an hour later and helped treat several patients.

Dawn Singleton was the first person stabbed and asked a bystander to call an ambulance.

Police Inspector Amy Scott — who ended the attack - at The Coroners Court on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

The court heard NSW Ambulance assistant commissioner Brett Armitage declared the shopping centre a “hot zone” at 4.30pm amid fears a second attacker was still on the loose.

By that stage, more than 50 minutes had elapsed since Cauchi’s frenzied knife attack and all injured patients had ­already been removed from the shopping centre.

The declaration meant a freeze on paramedics moving in and out of the building, however the court heard that did not cause any loss of life.

Mr Wilkinson told the inquest the development left him feeling “frustrated” and “inadequate” as a paramedic after being forced to stay outside when he thought people might be dying inside.

Speaking about the incident and more broadly in terms of NSW Ambulance policy, he said the freeze on staff movements because of fears of a second offender was “not good enough”.

“If we’re not allowed in that hot zone, then there is a delay, and that delay could cost lives,” he said.

Tributes in April 2024 as shoppers returned to a Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction a week after 40-year-old Joel Cauchi stabbed and killed six people and wounded many others. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Meanwhile, Mr Armitage was questioned over the timing of the hot zone declaration, with the inquest told vital information confirming Cauchi as the sole attacker that day was not passed on to him or his team for more than half an hour due to a gap in communication between police and paramedics.

The court heard prior to the declaration being enacted, a police sergeant had been approached by Mr Armitage who allegedly “demanded” to know where the force’s forward command post was located and if the centre was a hot zone.

When the officer responded it was “still an active crime scene”, he claimed Mr Armitage said: “Sergeant, explain to me why my paramedics are in a hot zone … why are they still inside? Sergeant, if any of my paramedics get hurt or stabbed, it’s on your head”.

Mr Armitage denied saying the words when questioned on Wednesday.

The inquest will hear from another specialist tactical ­paramedic on Thursday.

Originally published as ‘I feared delays would be fatal’: Bondi Junction paramedic