It took just three minutes for Joel Cauchi to kill six people and injure 10 more during a stabbing rampage at a popular Sydney shopping centre, an inquest into the attack has found.
A New South Wales Coroner’s court heard on Tuesday that Cauchi, 40, was mentally ill and sleeping rough at the time of the incident, and had come off his medication for schizophrenia, prompting his parents to confiscate his hunting knives.
The probe also found that no alarm sounded inside the centre until after Cauchi had been shot dead by police.
The incident on 13 April devastated Australia, where mass murder is rare, and prompted a national conversation about gendered violence.
All up, 14 of the 17 people stabbed that day were female – including five of the six who were killed, and a nine-month-old baby. The NSW police commissioner said at the time that it was “obvious” Cauchi had targeted women.
Tuesday’s hearing laid out the areas of focus for an extensive inquiry which is due to begin in full in April 2025. The investigation will look into possible security lapses and failings in the mental health systems in NSW and Queensland, Cauchi’s home state.
Speaking in court, Dr Peggy Dwyer SC, the counsel assisting the coroner, said Cauchi had been off his psychotropic medication since 2019, despite authorities being repeatedly warned of his deteriorating state. Cauchi had come “to the attention” of Queensland police several times, she said.
In her statement, Dwyer also provided the first detailed timeline of how the violence actually unfolded in Bondi that day.
She said that Cauchi – who had been sleeping rough in the suburb of Maroubra on the morning of the attack – entered Westfield shopping centre around 15.30 (local), and began stabbing people roughly three minutes later, after removing his knife in line at a bakery.
His first victim was Dawn Singleton, 25, followed by 47-year-old Jade Young and 25-year-old Yixuan Cheng. He then attacked Ashlee Good, 38, from behind.
Good – who has been described by her family as an “all-round outstanding human” – then saw Cauchi stabbing her nine-month-old baby girl in her pram, and was further wounded trying to save the child’s life, the court heard.
Faraz Tahir, a 30-year-old security guard, was stabbed next, alongside a colleague. Onlookers at the time said he died “trying to save others”.
Cauchi fatally stabbed Pikria Darchia, 55, before being shot dead by NSW Police Insp Amy Scott, who had been on duty close by. Between the moment Scott arrived and the moment she killed Cauchi just over a minute had passed, the court heard.
In total, the attack lasted for five minutes and 43 seconds – yet no alarm sounded during that time.
“It’s presently unclear why it took so long for the alarm to sound,” Dwyer said.
Before opening the hearing, state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan acknowledged the pain and loss the broader community was still feeling as a result of the violence.
“I offer my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones who are here in court today as well as those who can’t be here in person,” she told the court, according to the Guardian Australia.
“It’s important to me and my assisting team… that you feel safe, you feel heard and you feel cared for throughout this proceeding.”
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris calls general election
A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris made the announcement outside government buildings in Dublin on Friday.
He said the time was “now right” to ask the Irish people for a new mandate for the government.
Harris then travelled to the Irish president’s residence – Áras an Uachtaráin – to ask Michael D Higgins to dissolve the current Dáil (lower house of the Irish parliament).
Under Irish law, once the Dáil is dissolved an election must be held within 30 days.
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Announcing the snap poll in three weeks time, Harris said to voters that “you alone are sovereign”.
“You go out and you cast your vote, and in return you’re entitled to good government and hard work.”
The Fine Gael leader said the coalition government – made up of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and The Green Party – had made “real progress” and thanked his coalition partners.
“We did not agree on every issue but we did always work hard and together for the good of the Irish people.”
‘Use your voice’
Harris continued by saying Ireland is a “small country with a big influence all over the world”.
“We have many assets, but no asset more valuable than our people,” he added.
The taoiseach said parties will seek alternative mandates over Ireland’s future over the next three weeks, and it was “vital” that an election take place to consider the different “visions for our country’s economic and social future”.
Harris also called for the election to be a “safe and respectful campaign” for politicians and their teams.
“Finally, I ask just one thing of the Irish people: Value your vote, use your voice,” he said.
“That’s how this country works, that’s how we listen, that’s how we act on your behalf.”
Sworn against coalition
Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin have already sworn against a coalition ahead of the general election.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Martin said it is not a given that his party will enter government with Fine Gael again.
He said his party will campaign on its own merit.
“Debate is the lifeblood of democracy and elections.
“I look forward to the debates because the government will be putting forward its priorities, its policies, as we did in the last election,” he added.
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Mr Martin said his party will campaign on their own merit
Martin said Sinn Féin has ruled out working with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and they likewise had ruled out working with them.
“We have a multi-party system, or proportional representation system, it gives us good diversity. I’m not going to predict anything, the dynamic of the campaign will take over.”
Speaking at the official launch of her party’s election campaign Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was an “election of a lifetime” because for the first time in 100 years the Irish people had a “chance to elect a government which didn’t include Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael”.
She rejected any suggestion that recent controversies would damage the party at the polls.
She said the party was strong and facing into the campaign with determination.
She also claimed to have the strongest front bench team in the election
Sinn Féin has selected 71 candidates and may yet add to that number.
How many seats are there?
In this general election, the number of TDs (MPs) seeking election and the number of constituencies will increase following a 2023 review.
There are now 43 Dáil constituencies – an increase of four from 2020 – which will elect between three and five TDs each.
A total of 174 TDs will be selected, meaning that 88 TDs will be required to form a majority government.
The deadline for nominations is 12:00 on Saturday 16 November.
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There will be 14 more TDs joining the Dáil Éireann chamber after the general election
Who is in power at the minute?
Three parties – Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and The Green Party – make up the coalition government in the Republic of Ireland.
Voters last went to the polls in February 2020 where Fianna Fáil won the most seats (38).
But the party fell short of a majority and entered into negotiations with Fine Gael, who led the then-outgoing government, and the Green Party.
The Green Party’s Roderic O’Gorman (left), Simon Harris and Micheál Martin currently make up the leaders of Ireland’s coalition government
As part of this, the role of taoiseach was to be swapped between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael mid-way through the five-year term – with Harris currently in the top job.
Sinn Féin, who recorded a historic result in the 2020 election after winning 37 seats, currently lead the opposition.
A number of other parties, such as Labour, Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Aontú and independents, also make up the opposition.
Time of the essence in snap election
Reuters
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald launched the party’s Dublin Central election campaign candidates on Thursday
Analysis by BBC News NI political editor Enda McClafferty
When Higgins formally dissolves the Dáil, that will sound the starting gun on the election campaign.
But it’s quite clear the parties were not waiting for that gun – they already started this morning.
Along the street near government buildings, you can see the posters on the lampposts and large screens being driven around Dublin by Fianna Fáil trying to urge people to vote for them.
Not surprisingly, it’s only going to be a three week campaign so time is very much of the essence.
This morning, Micheál Martin took some early swipes at Sinn Féin, rejecting any plans to form a coalition government.
Mary Lou McDonald made it clear at a campaign launch on Thursday that her preference is a coalition of the left led by Sinn Féin.
This is a McDonald in a sense reaching for the same template which the party had back in 2020, which served them so well back then.
And that template is built around change.
That was the target this time round again and an opportunity for the electorate in the Republic to vote for real change, in other words, to have a government that doesn’t include Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael for the first in 100 years.
The government parties Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green party are facing big challenges as well because over the course of the past four years the lines between them have been blurred, albeit they are all very different political parties, but now they are fishing in the same pond for votes.
So now they have to distinguish themselves from each other if they are to secure the votes they need to get back into government again and that is going to be a bit of a challenge.
Manchester band Doves has asked for understanding from fans after announcing dates for new shows that will take place without frontman Jimi Goodwin.
The band is set to release comeback album Constellations For The Lonely next year and have revealed dates for three live shows later this month.
But the gigs will be performed without Goodwin, whose challenges with mental health saw Doves cancel part of the last live tour in 2021.
Guitarist and vocalist, Jez Williams, said he would be singing at the shows instead adding Goodwin was “doing great”, but that the lead singer was “still not out of the woods”.
In a post on Doves’ X account, Williams said Goodwin “needs more time to recover”, adding he and his twin brother Andy Williams, who plays drums, would be joining him in singing some of the songs.
“I hope this is cool and you understand/are accepting,” he said.
Goodwin said the band had been “working really hard” and was looking forward to playing a mix of new material, their 2020 album Universal Want, and “the old songs you know”.
Doves’ newly-announced gigs include shows in Stoke, Birkenhead and Hebden Bridge all in the last week of November.
Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova criticised a journalist’s “unprofessional commentary” after he made a remark about her appearance on air.
During a Tennis Channel broadcast on Friday, Jon Wertheim commented on the Czech world number 13’s forehead.
Krejcikova was competing at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she was knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual runner-up Zheng Qinwen.
Wertheim said his comments were “deeply regrettable” and that he apologised to Krejcikova.
Tennis Channel has removed him from air “indefinitely”.
“You might have heard about the recent comments made on Tennis Channel during the WTA Finals coverage that focused on my appearance rather than my performance,” 28-year-old Krejcikova posted on X., external
“As an athlete who has dedicated herself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this type of unprofessional commentary.
“This isn’t the first time something like this is happening in [the] sports world. I’ve often chosen not to speak up, but I believe it’s time to address the need for respect and professionalism in sports media.
“These moments distract from the true essence of sport and the dedication all athletes bring to the field.
“I love tennis deeply, and I want to see it represented in a way that honors the commitment we make to compete at this level.”
In a statement on Sunday, Wertheim said he made the comments in a rehearsal that was “inadvertently” broadcast.
“During a Tennis Channel studio show on Friday, I made some deeply regrettable comments off-air. I acknowledge them. I apologise for them. I reached out immediately and apologised to the player,” he said on X, external.
“What happened? I joined the show by Zoom. In rehearsal we were shown a graphic of a player who had just competed. It showed her at an angle that exaggerated her forehead.
“A few moments later, I was told to frame up my Zoom. I looked at the low camera angle and joked that it made my forehead resemble the photo of the player in question. Someone in the control room chimed in and I bantered back. Though this was a private rehearsal, this exchange inadvertently, and without context, made it to live air.
“I realise: I am not the victim here. It was neither professional nor charitable nor reflective of the person I strive to be. I am accountable. I own this. I am sorry.”
In a statement to BBC Sport, Tennis Channel said: “When Tennis Channel became aware of an inappropriate comment about a professional tennis player made by our analyst Jon Wertheim on Friday, we immediately removed him from our air indefinitely.
“The network also apologised to the player, Barbora Krejcikova, as did Jon. Jon has dedicated his career to shining a light on and growing this sport and has been a valued member of our family and the tennis community.
“That said, Tennis Channel holds its employees to a standard of respectfulness for others at all times, a standard that was not met in this moment.”
Dutch police have made five more arrests over the violence which followed a match involving an Israeli football team in Amsterdam on Thursday night.
The five men, all from the Netherlands and aged between 18 and 37, are suspected of “public violence against persons” before and after the Maccabi Tel Aviv match against local team Ajax.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof said earlier on Monday that “antisemitic attacks against Israelis and Jews” were “nothing short of shocking and reprehensible”.
Unrest flared up again in the city on Monday evening when an empty tram was attacked. Some rioters reportedly shouted “Free Palestine”, according to local media.
On Thursday night, youths on scooters criss-crossed the Dutch capital in “hit-and-run” attacks on Maccabi supporters who were visiting for the Europa League match, authorities said.
Five people were treated in hospital and others suffered minor injuries.
The five new arrests come on top of 63 announced by the authorities since the violence. One of the five was released from custody but remains a suspect.
Police also made several arrests after the new unrest in the city on Monday. No injuries were reported.
Dozens of youths dressed in black damaged cars in a western suburb, where the tram was attacked on ’40-’45 Square. Videos posted on social media show a tram being attacked with fireworks and its windows being shattered.
A fire on the tram was quickly extinguished and riot officers cleared the square, making arrests, German broadcaster DW reports.
Schoof promised that the Netherlands would focus on bringing perpetrators of Thursday’s violence to justice.
“The images and reports for Amsterdam and what we’ve seen this weekend of antisemitic attacks against Israelis and Jews are nothing short of shocking and reprehensible,” he told journalists.
He also commented on reports that Maccabi supporters had attacked a taxi and burnt a Palestinian flag in Amsterdam, as well as chanting anti-Arab slogans.
“We are well aware of what happened earlier with Maccabi supporters but we think that’s of a different category and we condemn any violence as well, but that is no excuse whatsoever for what happened later on that night in the attacks on Jews in Amsterdam,” he said.
Pro-Palestinian protests planned in recent days had been banned, angering activists.
Some have argued that they should be free to voice their disapproval of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the actions of the Maccabi supporters. Police chief Peter Holla has said there had been incidents “on both sides” during Thursday’s clashes.
The violence was condemned by leaders across Europe, the US and Israel. For many, it was especially shocking coming on the eve of commemorations marking Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogroms against German Jews.
Three-quarters of Jewish people in the Netherlands were murdered during the Holocaust in World War Two.
Reports of antisemitic incidents in Europe have risen since the start of the war in Gaza just over a year ago.
