Faraz Tahir was killed in the Bondi stabbings.
Share and Follow

A security supervisor dealing with the aftermath of a mall stabbing spree has acknowledged that things could have been done differently.

Joel Cauchi, 40, brought a 30cm knife to Bondi Junction Westfield and launched an unprovoked, violent attack on April 13, 2024.

He killed six people and injured another 10, including a nine-month-old baby.

Faraz Tahir was killed in the Bondi stabbings.
Faraz Tahir was killed in the Bondi stabbings. (Supplied)

As an inquest into the tragedy continued today, the on-duty security supervisor made a heartfelt statement recognising the hardship his team had faced as they scrambled to assist.

“What we went through that day was truly traumatic and not everyone understands the fear and chaos we faced,” he told the NSW Coroners Court.

His voice breaking as he read from a written statement, he thanked the security guards on shift on the day.

“I see your strength, I recognise your pain,” he said.

“I’m truly grateful to every single one of you.”

The supervisor, whose identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons, said only two members of the security team working that day remained in full-time roles.

The coroner has heard that at the moment Cauchi started his stabbing spree, the CCTV control room was unstaffed.

With the sole operator on a bathroom break, no information was provided to guards on the ground and no public announcements were made until after the 40-year-old was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.

Video of the Bondi Junction shopping centre stabbing attack released by the NSW Coroners Court. (NSW Coroners Court)

Concerns about that operator’s competency and communication skills had been previously raised and she had been put through additional training, the supervisor said.

Despite the concerns, the operator was left alone in the control room on April 13.

Under questioning from counsel assisting Christopher Murphy, the supervisor reflected on what happened.

“I wish we did better, I wish we did different,” he said.

He also regretted not personally heading to the control room after the first stabbing occurred.

The supervisor instead sent another trusted, experienced officer.

Communication difficulties have also been raised during the inquest after radios were filled with chatter during the attacks.

Running through the mall, the supervisor helped give first aid to some victims lying on the ground and went to get privacy screens after he saw kids watching the traumatic scenes.

Security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, was one of those killed in the attack.

Barrister Lester Fernandez SC, representing Mr Tahir’s family, asked whether there should now be two people in the CCTV control room at all times.

“That would be a good idea,” the supervisor replied.

Bondi Junction Westfield security guards now receive additional training and practice drills for armed offender situations, he said.

Guards had also been issued stab-resistant vests.

Dawn Singleton, 25, Ashlee Good, 38, Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Yixuan Cheng, 27, also lost their lives in the attack.

The coroner late yesterday released footage of Cauchi’s interaction with Queensland Police in early 2023 after his father confiscated his collection of military knives.

The collection included a knife that was the exact type used in the Bondi Junction mall attack a year later, an inquest into the stabbings was previously told.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Man Accused of Trying to Meet ‘Child’ in Alleged Incident

A 35-year-old man from Queensland has been charged after he allegedly attempted…

Lawyers Portray Pilot as ‘Party Animal’ in Matt Wright Helicopter Crash Case

The much-anticipated trial of reality TV star Matt Wright has laid bare…

Four Suspects Detained Following Series of Melbourne Robberies

Four teens have been arrested after a string of aggravated robberies and…

Man Arrested Following Devastating Crash That Hospitalized Two Teens and Overturned Car

The 34-year-old is accused of hitting an e-bike in Hillarys, sending two…

Britain Can’t Endure Four More Years of Labour: Seeking Alternatives to Starmer’s Ineffectual Leadership – A Perspective by Daniel Hannan

Britain cannot take four more years. Four more years of firehosing public…

Three Teens Accused of Forcing 14-Year-Old to Undress and Assaulting Her on Video

A Sydney teenage girl has been stripped and beaten in a shocking…

Why Australian Tourists Are Shifting from Traditional Destinations like the US to New Ones like China

Australians are switching up where they’re travelling to, according to the latest…

Understanding the Rare ‘Brain-Eating’ Amoeba Detected in Australian Tap Water

One of the world’s most dangerous water-borne microorganisms, commonly called a “brain-eating…