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Sydney Stabbings Attack: Hundreds of Mourners Gather at Candlelight Vigil

Sydney Stabbings Attack: Mourners Gather at Candlelight Vigil

Hundreds of mourners have gathered at the Candlelight vigil for victims from the Sydney stabbings attack.

Six people were killed in the attack on the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction on April 13. Eight days later, hundreds of people, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, paid their respects at a vigil on Bondi Beach.

Mourners gathered to pay respects to the six people killed in a stabbing at an Australian shopping mall.

Joel Cauchi, 40, has been identified by New South Wales Police as the man responsible for the attack at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction on April 13.

He was shot and killed by a police officer after stabbing six people – five women and one man – and injuring several others, including a nine-month-old baby.

Eight days after the attack, hundreds gathered for a candlelight vigil on Bondi Beach in Sydney, where Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to those who died.

Mr Albanese stated that the gathering was “to grieve for all that has been stolen from us.”

“All that has been stolen from us, all the possibility and potential, all the kindness and humanity, all the love and laughter of the six lives snatched away,” he went on to say.

“To honour all they were and respect all they meant, all the years of joy they should have known, all the memories they should have a chance to make.” Following Mr Albanese’s speech, the audience observed a minute of silence before New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns stated, “This week, we saw a single bouquet left on Oxford Street grow into a sea of flowers”.

He also stated that the vigil would provide an opportunity to “stand by those who have lost loved ones and remember those who have been killed.”

Amy Scott, the NSW police officer who killed Cauchi, attended the vigil. Five of the six people killed were women, and authorities have previously stated that they are investigating whether Cauchi targeted women in the attack.

The victims were Ashlee Good, 38, Dawn Singleton, 25, Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Cheng Yixuan, 25, and Faraz Tahir, 30, an on-duty Westfield security guard.

Ms. Good attempted to save her nine-month-old baby Harriet when she was attacked by the 40-year-old, who suffered from schizophrenia.

She was said to have given her baby to two men after being severely injured.

It comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed on Sunday evening that the baby had been released from the hospital. “I can confirm the child who has been receiving care at Sydney Children’s Hospital following last weekend’s tragic events at Bondi Junction has been discharged home,” the minister said in a statement.

“She continues to receive care from the expert clinicians at Sydney Children’s Hospital.”