Sydney knife attacker had mental health issues

A man who attacked a shopping center with a knife in Sydney and fatally wounded several people had a history of mental health problems. There was no indication his attack was motivated by any ideology, police said Sunday.

The incident occurred a day earlier in one of the busiest retail outlets in the city. Six people were killed and at least 12 more people were injured. The attacker was shot dead by police.

On April 14, NSW and Queensland police said the attacker was 40 years old and named Joel Cauchi. His identity was identified and reported to police by Cauci’s family members when they saw news reports of the massacre. The family expressed condolences to the loved ones of the victims. “Joel’s actions were truly horrific and we are still trying to understand what happened. He has struggled with mental health issues since he was a teenager,” the family said in a statement.

One eyewitness said the attacker looked “distracted and chaotic” and was “just running around with a knife.”

Attacks like Saturday’s are rare in Australia, which has one of the world’s toughest firearms and bladed weapons laws, notes Reuters.