By 1news.co.nz and is republished with permission.
As hundreds fled Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon, a lone female police officer ran towards the man who had just stabbed more than a dozen people, including a nine-month-old baby.
Inspector Amy Scott was performing routine checks nearby when the incident began to unfold in the busy eastern Sydney shopping mall.
Footage seen by 1News shows the senior police officer sprinting towards the danger as shoppers escaped in the other direction.
Bravely confronting the knife-wielding attacker alone on the fifth level of the complex, Scott shot him once in the chest after he lunged at her with the blade.
She then performed CPR on the killer, named as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, along with some of his victims as she waited for back-up to arrive on scene.
Scott’s actions have been praised by her superiors and she has been credited with saving lives.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state owes Scott “an enormous debt of gratitude”.
He praised her “instinctive bravery” in running towards the danger.
“I’m sure that there’s many committees to run through before someone’s actually given a hero award or a bravery award. But I think we can call it: this is outstanding courage. And bravery under incredibly difficult circumstances. And her actions yesterday saved many, many lives.”
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said Scott “just went into gear” after being alerted to the unfolding incident.
“When I met Amy last night… we talked about her going straight into police mode, everything she has been taught during her career and how instinctive it was.”
Catley said the officer was “so humble” when she was thanked on behalf of the government and people of New South Wales.
“She said ‘it wasn’t about me, minister’. She said ‘the people, the bystanders around really helped as well’.”
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb also commended Scott for her actions in stopping the knife-wielding man.
“She showed enormous courage and bravery.”
Scott was “doing well under the circumstances”, said Webb, adding that she would be formally interviewed at a later date.
Webb also praised other first responders and shoppers on scene.
“I spoke to them this afternoon when they returned to the station. But also many of the shopkeepers and people within the shopping centre that showed amazing courage and bravery.”
Albanese speaks on mass stabbing that has ‘shocked the nation’
https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.633.0_en.html#goog_1629702525Play Video1:25
The Australian Prime Minister commended emergency services, singling out the police officer who shot the offender dead. (Source: Nine)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the events in Bondi yesterday have “shocked the nation”.
“People going about their Saturday afternoon shopping should be safe, shouldn’t be at risk, but tragically we saw a loss of life and people will be grieving for loved ones today.”
Albanese also commended Inspector Scott, “who ran into danger by herself and removed the threat that was there to others without thinking about the risk to herself”.
“We also see the footage of ordinary Australians putting themselves in harm’s way to help their fellow citizens.”
