Overview

• Joel Cauchi, diagnosed with schizophrenia and unmedicated for five years, killed six people and injured ten others during a three-minute stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction in April 2024.
• Inspector Amy Scott, who shot Cauchi as he charged at her with a knife, testified about her decisive actions, which were deemed lawful and credited with saving lives.
• The inquest revealed Cauchi's web searches and phone notes showed a preoccupation with death and evidence of rudimentary planning for violence in the months leading up to the attack.
• Significant security lapses were identified, including an unmanned CCTV control room and a misissued evacuation alert, which delayed the emergency response.
• The inquiry aims to address systemic failures in mental health care and public safety protocols, with findings and recommendations expected after the hearings conclude in May 2025.