The man who murdered six people in a horrific rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction asked a local for surfing lessons just months before the attack.
Joel Cauchi, 40, stabbed five women and a man to death and seriously injured 12 others with a 30cm hunting knife around 3:20 p.m. on Saturday.
Cauchi was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott, who was hailed as a hero for stopping the killing and administering CPR to the victims.
Bondi man Stefan Deutsch has shared the disturbing moment he realized he had exchanged Facebook messages with Cauchi six months earlier.
Mr. Deutsch shared a screenshot of their short interaction on TikTok, which began after Cauchi responded to his ad for surfing lessons.
“Hello, I am interested in surf lessons in Sydney, can I apply please? » said Cauchi.
“Hello, yes, I can give you surfing lessons!” » Mr. Deutsch replied.
‘It’s free?’ » asked Cauchi.
“Hey, no, it’s not free sorry,” Mr. Deutsch said.
Cauchi read the message but never responded.
Bondi man Stefan Deutsch (pictured) has shared the disturbing moment he realized he had exchanged Facebook messages with Bondi Junction killer Joel Cauchi.
Mr Deutsch shared a screenshot of their short interaction on TikTok, which began after Cauchi responded to his ad for surfing lessons (photo)
Just six days before the attack, Cauchi invited Sydneysiders to join him for surfing at Bondi Beach in a post shared on a Facebook group for beginner surfers.
“Hi, I’m surfing Bondi this afternoon if anyone wants to meet up there to surf!” he said.
Less than a week later, Cauchi would be shot dead after killing five women and a man in a violent stabbing attack that shocked the world.
Victims include:
Cauchi’s motives have yet to be confirmed, but New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said on Monday he appeared to target women and avoid men.
“The videos speak for themselves, don’t they? she says. “It’s certainly a line of inquiry for us.
“It’s obvious to me, it’s obvious to the detectives that the offender focused on women and avoided men.
“As you know, and it has been reported, five of the deceased are women. And the majority of hospitalized victims are also women. We don’t know what was operating in the offender’s mind and that’s why it’s important that detectives spend as much time interviewing those who know him, who were around him and close to him.
“So we can get a glimpse of what he might have thought. We won’t necessarily know. But we must listen to the judgment of those who know him.
His motives have not yet been confirmed, but NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said on Monday that Cauchi (pictured) appeared to target women and avoid men.
Cauchi was known to police and lived sporadically in Sydney over the past two years. He slept on the street and had no fixed address.
He was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 17 and it is understood that he has always been obsessed with knives.
While living with his parents in Toowoomba, southeast Queensland, they became so concerned about his obsession that they took his knives away.
His parents, Andrew and Michelle, refused to speak to the media after describing their son Joel Cauchi’s murderous rampage as “truly horrific.”
His parents learned of the horror when they recognized their son from television footage and frantically phoned the police, but by that point it was too late.
Cauchi’s parents, Andrew (pictured) and Michelle, refused to speak to the media after describing their son’s murderous rampage as “truly horrific”.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the majority of Cauchi’s victims were women.
The Cauchis have lived in the Toowoomba suburb of Rockville for 46 years and last saw their son just a few months ago when the 40-year-old came over for Christmas.
They said in their statement they had “no problem” with Inspector Scott’s actions or those of the New South Wales Police.
“Joel’s actions were truly horrific and we are still trying to understand what happened,” the statement said.
“He has struggled with mental health issues since he was a teenager.
“We are in contact with the New South Wales Police and the Queensland Police Service and have no issues with the officer who shot our son as she was only doing her job to protect others and us Let’s hope she does well.”
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