Getty The scene at the Australia mall stabbing.
Joel Cauchi is the Queensland English tutor and escort who New South Wales police say stabbed six people to death on April 13 at an Australian shopping mall. A 9-month-old child was among the 12 wounded, police said.
Cauchi was a prolific poster in various Facebook groups, where he looked for people with shared interests. One of those posts references guns. In the mall attack, however, he stabbed people to death, police say.
“A critical incident investigation is underway after six people were fatally stabbed and a man was shot by police in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs yesterday,” New South Wales Police wrote in a press release.
Video emerged of a citizen fighting back against the stabber.
Video shows citizens in Sydney mall stabbing fighting back
Other video shows the suspect running through the mall with a knife.
https://twitter.com/CdnFreedomGirl/status/1779057685696020749/video/2
The suspect “has since been identified as 40-year-old Queensland man, Joel Cauchi,” police confirmed. The mother of the injured child was named as Ashlee Good by the Australian Broadcasting Association. She died in the attack. Her family remembered her as an “all-around outstanding human,” according to Telegraph.
Here’s what you need to know:
On Facebook, Joel Cauchi Wrote That He Was ‘Looking for Groups of People Who Shoot Guns’ to ‘Meet Up With’ & Sought Friends to Speak German With & Rideshare
Joel Cauchi (Facebook)Joel Cauchi Facebook post.
Cauchi wrote in a number of Facebook groups over the years, looking for friends to meet up with.
In 2020, he wrote, in an Outdoor Adventures Facebook group on Facebook, “Hi I am looking for groups of people who shoot guns, including handguns, to meet up with, chat with and get to know. Please send me a DM if you can help me out! I live in Brisbane by the way.”
That same year, he wrote in a Brisbane Number 1 Meetup group, “Hi, I’m just looking for a Russian and German language exchange partner, is anyone interested? Just to be friends and help each other with our languages, I am a native English speaker. I’m trying to find one for Russian and one for German. It’s totally fine to meet when it’s ok with the health situation too. Just DM me if you are available if you can.”
In another post in the Sydney Language Exchange group on Facebook, he wrote that he was looking for Swedish speakers: “Hi I am looking for a fluent Swedish speaker for a language exchange! I am a fluent English speaker and can teach that in exchange for being taught Swedish if you are interested.”
He posted in the Australian Amateur Astronomy and Astrophotography group on Facebook, writing, “Hi how’s it going? I am looking for someone who does astrophotography that doesnt mind me tagging along to learn a bit, can anyone help me out? I am interested in any type of astrophotography and am based in Surfers Paradise.”
In January, he wrote, “Hi I live in Sydney and am looking for someone to tag along with and learn some astrophotography at a dark sky site some place, can anyone help me out?”
He also wrote about renting out a house and left a number of reviews for restaurants.
He also wrote in the Australia Backpackers 2024 – 2025 Facebook group in January, “Hi, I live in Sydney and am looking for people that I can rideshare with, pay for some fuel and stay at some interesting places reasonably close to Sydney together. Let me know if you are interested!”
Joel Cauchi, Who Was Described as ‘Disturbed,’ Wrote That He Worked as an ‘Online English Tutor’
At least one on-duty security guard is among the six people killed in a Sydney Westfield, as footage has emerged of 40-year-old offender Joel Cauchi eating a meal hours before he committed one of the worst attacks in Sydney.
On Facebook, Cauchi wrote that he was an “online English tutor” who “went to Harristown State High School,” was single, and studied at the University of Southern Queensland – Australia.
On April 7, he updated his page with a photo showing him with a surfboard. In January, he posted a picture showing a dragon tattoo on his arm. His cover photo shows him with his friends and is captioned, “morning coffee.”
News.com.au reported that it is believed he “suffered from schizophrenia.”
A neighbor described Cauchi as “disturbed,” the site reported. “They seem like a nice family with a nice house but he had schizophrenia growing up,” Daily Telegraph quoted the neighbor as saying.
A Police Officer Shot the Suspect to Death, Joel Cauchi, to Death, Police Say
Inspector Amy Scott praised by world leaders after shooting dead Bondi mass stabber Joel Cauchi. #7NEWS
Around 3:30 p.m. on April 13, emergency services “were called to Westfield Shopping Centre at Bondi Junction, following reports multiple people had been stabbed,” the release says.
An officer “attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command attended and was allegedly confronted by a man, armed with a knife,” the release says. “The man allegedly lunged at the officer, before he was shot.”
Cauchi “was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, he could not be revived and died at the scene,” police wrote.
Australian Police Say That 12 Other People, Including a 9-Month-Old Child, Also Suffered Stab Wounds
Who was Ashlee Good?
Sydney stabbing victim whose last act saved her injured baby’s life
Police said most of those killed were women.
“Five other people – including four women believed to be aged between 20 and 55 and a man, aged in his 30s – who were in the centre, died at the scene. They are yet to be formally identified,” they wrote.
“Twelve others – including nine women, two men and a 9-month-old child – suffering stab wounds, were treated by paramedics and taken to various Sydney hospitals,” the release says. “A 38-year-old woman who was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a critical condition; has since died. Police are aware that other people have also sought medical treatment for various injuries.”
Police noted, “The shopping centre and surrounding streets remain closed, while the crime scene continues to be forensically examined.A critical incident team comprised of detectives attached to the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad and the Central Metropolitan Region have established Strike Force Mcauley to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Joel Cauchi Listed Himself on Escort Websites, Reports Say
Mass killer Joel Cauchi was apparently advertising his services online as a male escort. DETAILS: t.co/fgc5SiYBeo
According to Daily Mail, Cauchi also listed himself on escort websites.
He “listed himself on several male escort websites, including Australia Cracker, Empire Escorts and Escorts Australia,” Daily mail reported.
According to Daily Mail, he described himself as an “athletic good-looking 39-year-old” in Sydney who wanted a “fun time” and listed graphic services.
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