At least 6 killed in stabbing at mall in Australia; police identify suspect

SYDNEY, Australia — Multiple people were stabbed to death Saturday at a shopping mall in Sydney, Australia. The suspect was shot and killed, police say.

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New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke said that the suspect started stabbing people at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction, according to The Associated Press. He was then shot by a police inspector when he reportedly turned and raised his knife.

Police identify attacker; some victims identified

Update 11:36 p.m. EDT April 13: New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke identified the suspect as Joel Cauchi, 40, of Queensland, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Sunday.

Cooke added there was no evidence that the attack was related to terrorism, according to the newspaper.

Five women and one man were killed in the attack. Victims who were identified by authorities were Ashlee Good, 38, who died at an area hospital, the Morning Herald reported. Her 9-month-old daughter was injured in the attack.

‘We understand baby Harriet is stabilizing this morning,” police said in a statement. “We understand that she underwent surgery and she remains in a serious but stable condition.”

Good’s family also issued a statement Sunday morning.

“Today we are reeling from the terrible loss of Ashlee, a beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all-round outstanding human and so much more,” the family said. “We appreciate the well-wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashlee and our baby girl.”

Also killed was Dawn Singleton, 25, the daughter of businessman John Singleton and attorney Julie Martin. Another victim, whom the Herald did not name at the request of her family, was a mother of two from the eastern Sydney suburb of Bellevue Hill.

The man who died in the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing attack was believed to be a security guard.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Original report: The suspect was only identified as a 40-year-old man, according to the AP. Cooke said that they did not know who the suspect was but are working on identifying him, CNN reported.

The victims include five women and a man, The New York Times reported. Five died at the scene and one woman died after she was transported to the hospital.

Eight people were also injured, the AP reported.

“We are confident that there is no ongoing risk, and we are dealing with one person who is now deceased,” Commissioner Karen Webb said, according to the AP. She added: “It’s not a terrorism incident.”

No information has been released about a possible motive, CNN reported.

“This was a horrific act of violence indiscriminately targeted at the innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday, doing their shopping,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, according to the Times.

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