The Sydney knifeman who killed five women and a male security guard at Westfield mall in Bondi junction had advertised himself as a male escort and tried to join groups of gun owners, it’s been revealed.
Joel Cauchi, 40, was known to authorities but had not been arrested or charged before he committed the attack on Saturday. He was unemployed and had no fixed address, instead living an ‘itinerant’ lifestyle where he traveled from place to place.
In a post on a Facebook group in December 2020, Cauchi wrote: ‘I am looking for groups of people who shoot guns, including handguns, to meet up with, chat with and get to know.’
He had set up profiles on several male escort websites, including Australia Cracker, Empire Escorts and Escorts Australia, according to reports.
Cauchi described himself in one profile as an ‘athletic good-looking 39-year-old’ based in Sydney who was looking for a ‘fun time’.
The owner of a knife-sharpening business in Queensland told Guardian Australia that Cauchi had asked about sharpening two ‘everyday knives’ about three years ago. The business owner said they thought the request was ‘weird’ as ‘he wasn’t a chef or a butcher’.
They added: ‘He goes, “Oh no, I just do a bit of dabbling in the backyard with the knives and I use them every day”.’
Cauchi also claimed to work as an English tutor, according to his Facebook page.
Here’s a look at the victims whose lives he claimed on Saturday, when he went on a knife rampage before being shot dead by police.
Dr Ashlee Good, 38, who died saving her nine-month-old baby…
Dawn Singleton, the daughter of prominent Australian entrepreneur John Singleton…
Security guard Faraz Tahir, who had fled persecution in his home country of Pakistan to start a new life in Australia last year…
Jade Young, 47, was also a victim…
Yixuan Cheng, 27, a Chinese national studying a master’s degree in economics at the University of Sydney…
Pikria Darcha, 55, was the final life claimed…
The gender breakdown would suggest Joel Cauchi was deliberately targeting women, with his only male victim being security guard Faraz Tahir, who (I’m assuming) intervened to stop the attacks. Which makes it all the more creepy that this guy was advertising himself on male escort sites in Australia, was researching gun groups, and inquiring about getting his knives sharpened. Did he actually obtain any bookings as an escort? What was he planning to do with any woman who sought his services?
As with any mass killing, people are quick to assume the motivation of the killer. I don’t think anyone could have guessed that this guy’s motivation was a hatred of women, and that maybe he was an incel type whose prejudice against women was exacerbated by mental health issues. Of course these are all just assumptions at this time as the incident is still being investigated, but I’m sure we’ll know for sure in due course.
Big respect to the female officer who gunned Joel Cauchi down and brought the massacre to the stop. How prophetic that a woman ended his life. Hero…
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