Mall attack ‘over killer’s failure to find a girlfriend’
Parents’ claim as they call son a ‘monster’
SHOPPING mall murderer Joel Cauchi launched his deadly rampage because of his inability to get a girlfriend, his parents have claimed.
Dad Andrew Cauchis said his son Joel, 40, had been “frustrated out of his brain” with his failed love-life and “couldn’t get a girlfriend”.
His parents revealed he was a diagnosed schizophrenic who had lived at home with them until he was 35 in Toowoomba, southern Queensland.
They revealed he tried to come off his anti-psychotic medication because “he wanted to have a life” but the move instead triggered his psychosis.
Mr Cauchi, 76, said: “I loved my son but he had a fascination with knives.
He had five or six commando knives. He had a problem with women.”
He said he cannot stop watching footage of Joel in the mall, adding: “My son, my son. I’m loving a monster. He was a very sick boy.”
Wife Michele said she was “so sorry” for what her son had done. She added: “My heart goes out to the people our son has hurt. If he was in his right mind, he would be absolutely devastated at what he has done.
“He somehow had been triggered into psychosis and he’d lost touch with reality. We’re ordinary people and brought up our son as best we could.”
The devastated pair have “no issues” with hero officer Inspector Amy Scott who saved numerous lives by shooting their son dead.
Police are sure schizophrenic Cauchi deliberately targeted women who were shopping in Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday morning, with five of his six dead being female.
Australian police insiders said CCTV shows him selecting victims. A source added: “You can see he walks past other people. He keeps moving past them and then attacks a woman.”
Mum Ashlee Good, 38, died protecting her nine-month-old daughter Harriet, who was injured but survived.
The other victims were e-commerce executive Dawn Singleton, 25, architect Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.
The sixth victim was named yesterday as Chinese student Yixuan Cheng.