Sydney mall attack: What we know so far about Bondi incident

People were led out from the Westfield Shopping Centre where multiple people were stabbed in Sydney on Saturday. Photo / AP

Seven people are dead - including an attacker shot dead by a policewoman - and 12 more are in hospital with injuries after a mass stabbing at a busy Sydney shopping centre yesterday afternoon. Here is what we know so far about the incident.

• Six people have been killed in a Sydney stabbing

• Police have identified the attacker as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi from Queensland. He moved to Sydney last month.
• NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said the attacker was known to Queensland police and believed to be from the Brisbane area.
• Cooke said there was “nothing significant” about Cauchi’s prior offending.
• Five women and one man died in the attack.
• There are 12 people in hospitals across Sydney with injuries after the knife attack.

• The mother of a 9-month-old baby injured in the attack who died in hospital from her wounds has been named. She was Ash Good, aged 38.

• The attacker, Cauchi, was shot dead by police.
• The incident took place inside a shopping centre at Bondi Junction soon after 3pm on Saturday, local time.
• The man engaged nine people, stabbing them with a knife.
• Police said the 40-year-old acted alone and there was no ongoing threat to the community.

The knifeman was wearing an old Kangaroos rugby league jersey.

• Inspector Amy Scott was on the scene and shot the attacker after he refused to drop his weapon.
• The inspector’s immediate actions were believed to have saved many lives.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised Scott’s brave actions and called her a “hero”.
• The area was sealed and a crime scene declared.
• Police said their investigation would be lengthy and precise.
• They praised the bravery of bystanders who rushed to the aid of stab victims.
• Witnesses described their horror and fear as the stabbing attack unfolded.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the horrific act of violence was beyond words or understanding.

A policewoman on her own ended a knifeman’s reign of terror inside a packed Westfield at Sydney’s Bondi Junction, shooting him dead after he raised his knife at her. Photo / News.com.au

• Australian Federal Police members were deployed to the crime scene to assist NSW police.
• AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said it was too early to determine a motive and it would be unhelpful to speculate.

Additional reporting by the NZ Herald.

One brave person was shown using an object - believed to be a bollard - to confront the knife-wielding attacker on an escalator inside the mall. Photo from video still, Trilli MCap

People were led out from the Westfield Shopping Centre after the attack. Photo / AP