Australian police have identified Joel Cauchi, 40, as the perpetrator responsible for a tragic incident that claimed the lives of six people at a Sydney shopping mall. The attack, which took place at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction, shocked the nation and left 12 people injured, including a 9-month-old boy whose mother was among the victims.

Authorities said Cauchi had unspecified mental health issues, leading them to rule out terrorism as a motive for the attack. The Deputy Commissioner of the New South Wales Police, Anthony Cooke, stressed that there is no evidence to suggest a specific ideological motivation behind the incident.

The victims, five women and one man, aged between 20 and 55, were stabbed during the assault. Among the dead was Faraz Tahir, 30, a security guard at the mall who was known as a respected member of Australia’s Ahmadiyya Muslim community.

Eyewitness accounts and video footage captured the chaos and horror as Cauchi, armed with a knife, ran erratically through the mall, attacking shoppers without warning. Despite the quick response of the police, including Inspector Amy Scott, who eventually shot and killed Cauchi, the tragedy left a profound impact on the community.

Premier Anthony Albanese praised the heroic acts of Inspector Scott and other passengers who stepped in to protect life amid the chaos. Meanwhile, Cauchi’s family expressed their devastation at the events, acknowledging their son’s struggle with mental health since adolescence.

As the community deals with the aftermath of the senseless violence, floral tributes were placed outside the mall in honor of the victims. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges around mental health and public safety, which have sparked new calls for support and awareness initiatives.