A mother and her infant daughter, an artist, and the daughter of a famous businessman are among the six victims who were stabbed by a "mentally unstable" man wielding a knife at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center outside Sydney. Australian police stated that Joel Kochi, 40, who carried out the attack, may have been targeting women. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb explained, "It is clear to investigators that this was an area of interest for him. The perpetrator focused on women and avoided men."
The motive behind the attack is not yet clear, but police indicated that it may be "linked" to "mental health" issues suffered by the suspect, who has schizophrenia. The six victims are:
- Bekria Darsiya, a 55-year-old artist and designer
- Ashley Judd, a 38-year-old new mother working as a physiotherapist
- Dawn Singleton, a 25-year-old e-commerce assistant and daughter of millionaire businessman John Singleton
- Faraz Tahir, a 30-year-old security guard who was killed while protecting shoppers
- Jade Young, a 47-year-old architect and mother of two
- Yixuan Cheng, a 24-year-old Chinese national studying in Australia
Darsiya had recently worked for 10 years as a senior designer in Tbilisi, Georgia, according to her LinkedIn page, where she identified herself as an artist. Ashley Judd was among those fatally stabbed in the Bondi shopping center. Her 9-month-old baby was also stabbed during the incident and is currently undergoing surgery in the hospital. Judd succumbed to her injuries after trying to protect her infant daughter, Harriet, before handing her over to a stranger.
A witness told "9News Sydney": "The mother was stabbed, she came with the baby and threw her at me. I took the baby and ran." Reports have stated that the infant remains in hospital in critical condition after being stabbed in the abdomen. Judd is the daughter of former Australian Rules football player Kerri Judd, whose team, North Melbourne, wore black armbands in her memory during a match on Sunday.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Australia released a statement stating that Tahir was a security guard at the shopping center and "a valued member." The statement read: "Faraz Tahir, aged 30, sought asylum in Australia just a year ago, fleeing persecution in his native Pakistan." He quickly became an integral part of our community and was known for his unwavering dedication and kindness. Westfield management stated that Tahir died while trying to protect shoppers.
Singleton, who was recently engaged, is the daughter of wealthy businessman John Singleton and lawyer Julie Martin, and reportedly purchased her wedding dress just days prior. She worked as an e-commerce assistant at the Sydney-based fashion company "White Fox Boutique," which described her in a statement as "a lovely and kind person who had her whole life ahead of her."
Young, a mother of two, had worked at Georgina Wilson Associates in Double Bay for the past nine years, focusing on high-end residential and commercial spaces. NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott was praised as a hero for rushing to confront the attacker Kochi, ultimately shooting and killing him. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated: "The remarkable inspector who faced danger herself and removed the threat to others without thinking of the risks to herself." Albanese also commended "ordinary Australians" who put themselves at risk to help their fellow citizens. The attack has shocked the nation, as mass casualties are rare, partly due to the country's gun and knife laws.
