NEW DELHI: Sydney police say the man who stabbed six people to death had a history of mental health problems. Authorities said there were no signs of any ideological motive behind the attack at the city’s busy shopping center. The attacker, identified as 40-year-old Joel Couch, was known to Queensland police and contacted authorities after his family recognized him from news reports following the incident.
“The family saw footage of the incident on television and thought it could be their son, so they contacted authorities,” Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Roger Rowe said.
Witnesses described how Couch, wearing shorts and an Australian National Rugby League jersey, ran through the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall brandishing a knife. He tragically stabbed six people and injured at least 12 before being shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott, who bravely stood alone during his rampage. Some mall users attempted to intervene, while others sought refuge in closed stores.
“This was a horrific scene,” NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Anthony Cook said. Cook continued, “We have no information to date that would suggest that this was driven by any particular motive or ideology or anything, and we do not have any information that we have received, no evidence that we have recovered, no information that we have collected. Nothing,” he added.
Mr Lowe of the Queensland Police Service confirmed Mr Couch had suffered from mental health issues since the age of 17 and had been in frequent contact with police in recent years. He lived a transient lifestyle, often sleeping in his car, and continued to communicate sporadically with his mother through his text messages.
Attacks like this are rare in Australia, which has strict gun and knife laws, and have shocked local communities. Five of the victims were women, and the male victim was a security guard at a shopping center.
The injured included a nine-month-old infant, who was in critical but stable condition, and whose mother tragically succumbed to her injuries in hospital. A large police presence was observed at the shopping mall, which remained off-limits to the public, and condolences for the victims were steadily increasing.
“The individual stories of those killed, the strangers who rushed to their aid, and their acts of bravery and bravery mean that you are grieving today, whether you knew the people who were killed or not. ” said New. South Wales First Minister Chris Minns.
“Over the coming days, our entire state will continue to support families as they recover and overcome the inevitable grief caused by such a horrific event.”
Messages of condolence poured in from around the world, praising the bravery of ordinary citizens who risked their own safety to help others.
“The family saw footage of the incident on television and thought it could be their son, so they contacted authorities,” Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Roger Rowe said.
Witnesses described how Couch, wearing shorts and an Australian National Rugby League jersey, ran through the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping mall brandishing a knife. He tragically stabbed six people and injured at least 12 before being shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott, who bravely stood alone during his rampage. Some mall users attempted to intervene, while others sought refuge in closed stores.
“This was a horrific scene,” NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Anthony Cook said. Cook continued, “We have no information to date that would suggest that this was driven by any particular motive or ideology or anything, and we do not have any information that we have received, no evidence that we have recovered, no information that we have collected. Nothing,” he added.
Mr Lowe of the Queensland Police Service confirmed Mr Couch had suffered from mental health issues since the age of 17 and had been in frequent contact with police in recent years. He lived a transient lifestyle, often sleeping in his car, and continued to communicate sporadically with his mother through his text messages.
Attacks like this are rare in Australia, which has strict gun and knife laws, and have shocked local communities. Five of the victims were women, and the male victim was a security guard at a shopping center.
The injured included a nine-month-old infant, who was in critical but stable condition, and whose mother tragically succumbed to her injuries in hospital. A large police presence was observed at the shopping mall, which remained off-limits to the public, and condolences for the victims were steadily increasing.
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“Over the coming days, our entire state will continue to support families as they recover and overcome the inevitable grief caused by such a horrific event.”
Messages of condolence poured in from around the world, praising the bravery of ordinary citizens who risked their own safety to help others.
