Overview

• The five-week inquest, led by State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan, opened on April 28, 2025, at Lidcombe Coroners Court in Sydney.
• Joel Cauchi, the attacker, was diagnosed with schizophrenia but had been unmedicated and disconnected from mental health care for five years before the attack.
• Evidence presented shows Cauchi conducted online searches on serial killers and mass stabbings, suggesting rudimentary planning for the attack.
• The inquest revealed that the sole CCTV operator at Westfield Bondi Junction was on a bathroom break when the stabbing spree began, leaving no active monitoring during the critical initial moments.
• NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott, whose decisive actions stopped the attack, is set to testify, with her response described as lawful and life-saving.