The parents of Joel Cauchi spoke out after the 40-year stabbed six people to death and injured several others in Westfield mall in Sydney, with NSW police looking into the possibility he 'deliberately targeted women'
Joel Cauchi's parents have apologised after their son went on a rampage through a mall in Sydney killing six people and injuring several others - including one of the victims' baby.
Speaking out on Monday, dad Andrew Cauchi described the 40-year-old mass killer as "a very sick boy" who had "no social skills" and was "frustrated out of his brain". The comments, controversial to many, come after New South Wales Police's commissioner said it was "obvious" that Cauchi deliberately targeted women. Five of the six people killed were women, while the sixth was security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, who it's understood had been trying to stop Cauchi.
Police also said "the majority" of the injured victims were also women. The knifeman unleashed his attacks in Westfield shopping cente in Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon, before he was shot dead by lone police officer Amy Scott. Pikria Darchia, 55, Jade Young, 47, 38-year-old Dr Ashlee Good - whose baby daughter Harriet was also injured - and Dawn Singleton and Yixuang Cheng, both 25, all died in the horror attack.
Dr Good, an osteopath, had passed her child to two nearby men to save her. The mum was taken to hospital where she tragically later died. Police initially stated there was no immediate evidence pointing to the attack having a terrorism motive. They also revealed Cauchi had been known to law enforcement and had a history of mental health issues.
Speaking outside his home, Cauchi's dad said he was "heartbroken" for the victims' families, saying he was "extremely sorry". The 76-year-old said: "I made myself a servant to my son when I found out he had a mental illness. He's my son. And I'm loving a monster - to you, he's a monster. To me, he was a very sick boy."
He suggested his son may have targeted women because "he wanted a girlfriend", adding: "He's got no social skills and he was frustrated out of his brain". The killer's mum, Michele Cauchi, described the aftermath as "a parent's absolute nightmare" for anyone with a child with mental illness, saying he "wasn't in his right mind" at the time.
Women who previously dated Cauchi have since spoken out, claiming he was "weird" and "nerdy". Asked during an interview with Australian broadcaster ABC News about CCTV footage which appeared to show Cauchi targeting women, NSW police commissioner Ms Webb said: “The videos speak for themselves, don’t they? And that’s certainly a line of inquiry for us. It’s obvious to me and 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. It has been reported that five of the deceased are women and the majority of victims in hospital are also women.”
Jade Young
Architect and mother-of-two Jade Young has also been named as one of the victims of the knife attack. She moved to Sydney to study at the University of NSW, and had previously studied in Britain at London's Architectural Association School.
Bronte Surf Lifesaving Club, where she was a member, said in a tribute: "It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of member Jade Young. On behalf of Bronte Surf Lifesaving Club, we extend our deepest condolences to the Mclaughlin family. Many club members will be affected by the loss of Jade and the impact of this senseless and tragic event will affect each of us differently over time."
Faraz Tahir
Security guard Faraz Tahir has been labelled "courageous" after being fatally stabbed at work in the shopping centre during the attack. He was reported by Australian media to be in his 30s. A statement from Australian Pakistani National Association said: "Let us stand together in solidarity, offering support and prayers to those grieving and affected by this heartbreaking loss."
Ashlee Good
Osteopath and mum Ashlee Good was trying to save her nine-month-old daughter at the time she was attacked. Her baby was also injured and has since undergone surgery.
A statement from her family said: "Today we are reeling from the terrible loss of Ashlee, a beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all round outstanding human and so much more. We appreciate the well wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashlee and our baby girl. We can report that after hours of surgery yesterday our baby is currently doing well. We are so grateful for the expert care and attention of the medical team at Sydney Children’s Hospital.”
Pikria Darchia
Originally from the Georgian capital of Tsbilisi, 55-year-old Pikria Darchia was on Sunday identified as the fifth victim of the attack by police. She described herself as an artist on her LinkedIn page.
Yixuan Cheng
Yixuan Cheng, 25, was confirmed as the sixth fatal victim of the attack. Wang Chunsheng, China’s acting consul general in Sydney, said he was “very sorry to hear about” Cheng’s death. Yixuan was studying for a master's degree in economics at the University of Sydney, according to Sky News Australia. The consulate would be in contact with her relatives in China to make arrangements, Wang said. In similar cases in the past, Chinese relatives have been flown to Australia.
