Bondi mass murderer Joel Cauchi’s made a disturbing domestic violence call to cops before his killing spree

Mass murderer Joel Cauchi’s troubled past has been laid bare as bizarre new revelations come to light.

Mass murderer Joel Cauchi’s troubled past has been laid bare as bizarre new revelations come to light.

The 40-year-old killed six people and injured at least 12 others in a frenzied stabbing attack at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney on Saturday.

The Queensland man allegedly had a fascination with blades and even once called the police on his parents after they hid his knives from him.

Cauchi is understood to have gotten upset when his parents hid his knives and made a domestic violence claim to police.

Queensland Police did investigate the claim however did not take any action as they found no domestic violence had been committed.

When asked whether Cauchi had called the police on his family because they had taken away his knives, Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Roger Lowe said that they were aware of an event that had occurred in 2023.

“We are aware of an event in 2023 which we are investigating, but again that forms part of the more broader inquiries into his conduct, his health, his interaction with treating practitioners, his recent whereabouts in New South Wales, where he might be living and what’s changed from a person who is 40 and has for a number of years functioned in society to commit such a horrific crime,” Mr Lowe told The Courier Mail.

“We responded to an event in early 2023 with him and his family and it will form (part of) the investigations.”

Cauchi has never been charged with any offence relating to knives and has never been found in possession of knives “in a matter that’s unlawful”.

Joel Cauchi’s family, described as “very religious,” were expecting him home to remove pigeons from their property before he committed the stabbing attack.

Cauchi’s parents broke their silence, expressing devastation over their son’s actions, acknowledging his battle with mental health issues since his teens.

Speaking to 2GB on Monday afternoon, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said members of the force would travel to Queensland soon to get a better understanding of Cauchi’s mental health history.

“We were of that across the weekend,” she said about the incident with his father.

“The offender called police because his knives were taken by his father. So obviously, soome concerns there around his mental health from his own family.”

Ms Webb also said Cauchi had another interaction with police in July last year when a member of the public was concerned for his welfare.

“He was sleeping in a black sleeping bag down [near the Rocks in Sydney] and the police turned up to make sure he was okay,” Ms Webb said.

“He was okay. They searched his belongings and didn’t find anything untoward. And so left him to be.”

Earlier, it emerged Cauchi’s family were expecting him to return home this week to help manage their pigeons.

“He loves those birds. He often takes his shirt off and lies on his back and looks up at the sky while waving around a stick which makes the pigeons stir up and fly about,” one neighbour told the Daily Mail.

Neighbours said Joel was often described by his father as a “backpacker who travels to Melbourne”.

“He told me that his son was a well-behaved boy who got a bus pass so he could travel around,” another neighbour, Carol, said.

“At one point the son came back home with some other backpackers to help weed the yard. Andrew just loves gardening.”

Another neighbour said they knew Joel to be “very gentle” and “family orientated”.

“Joel was very gentle, family orientated person who was very close to his parents,” she told the Courier Mail.

“Unfortunately he had mental health problems.

“He was a very quiet person and was not very chatty.”

“His parents did talk about Joel’s mental health problems but I don’t think that (they) thought anything like this would happen.”

The family has no issues with the police officer who shot Joel, stating she was only doing her job to protect others.

Women open up about odd dates with Cauchi

One woman told news.com.au she briefly dated Cauchi in 2019 after meeting him on dating app Badoo.

She said the pair were both from Toowoomba and met up when she had just turned 18.

The woman said he was older than what he had originally said in his dating profile, however, was “kind and sweet.”

Another who dated Cauchi in 2022 also spoke of her shock to hear her former flame was the man behind Saturday’s crazed stabbing event in Bondi Junction.

“He was sweet and kind and wanted to be a teacher … we met on a dating site and he seemed fine,” she told the Courier Mail.

“He took me to lunch and we spent a day at the Japanese garden. He was fine, I never noticed anything wrong with him.”

The Daily Mail reports another woman who claimed to have attended Joel’s church raised alarming red flags after a couple dates.

“I went on a few coffee dates with him, but he had compulsions,” Lulu Eve said.

“It was a bit weird so I stopped messaging him, then he said he was moving away. I’m in shock.”

Neighbours describe Andrew Cauchi as religious and passionate about gardening, with Joel often described as a backpacker who travels to Melbourne.

‘Truly horrific’: Killer’s parents break silence

Cauchi’s parents, Andrew and Michele Cauchi, first released a statement through Queensland police on Sunday night describing Joel’s actions as “truly horrific”.

“We are absolutely devastated by the traumatic events that occurred in Sydney yesterday,” they said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims and those still undergoing treatment at this time.

“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.

“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 all right.

Deranged stabber had serious mental health problems

Addressing media on Sunday, Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Roger Lowe said officers had been with Cauchi’s family since last night, breaking the news and collecting information for their investigation.

Assistant Commissioner Lowe said police had learned from the family that Cauchi, who had schizophrenia, had been sleeping in a vehicle or at a backpacker hostel before the attack in Sydney, but he was not in regular contact with his parents.

Cauchi did, however, sometimes “text his mother with an update as to where he was”.

He said Cauchi had been diagnosed with a mental illness at the age of 17, and that his mental health had declined in the last few years.

Lowe also revealed Cauchi’s family contacted authorities when they saw shocking stabbing footage on TV as they believed it was their son.

Cauchi’s ex-girlfriend from Toowoomba expressed shock, describing him as sweet and kind, unaware of any issues. Picture: Rohan Kelly

A statement from Queensland Health confirmed Cauchi had been treated for mental health issues more than a decade ago, but “his care was transferred to a psychiatrist in the private sector in 2012”.

Assistant Commissioner Lowe said Cauchi’s family had reached out to police after seeing footage of the horrific fatal attack on television and had been “assisting in all elements that they can to gain an understanding of why their son, in this particular case, allegedly behaved in this manner and killed people in a public place.”

Cauchi had no criminal history in Queensland though it is understood he called the police on his family with a domestic violence complaint because they had taken away his knives.

Cauchi’s victims included one man and five women, including the mother of a nine-month old baby who remains in ICU.

Five victims of the recent violent attack have been identified. The victims are: Jade Young, an architect and mother of two; Dawn Singleton, the daughter of businessman John Singleton; Ashlee Good, a new mother whose nine-month-old daughter was also stabbed during the rampage; Pikria Darchia, a 55-year-old artist; and Faraz Tahir, a security guard and refugee.

– With NCA NewsWire