“Stop the killing, stop the dying.”
That was the mantra of the police officer who single-handedly confronted and shot dead a man who fatally stabbed six people at a Sydney shopping centre.
NSW Police inspector Amy Scott, hailed a hero for bringing an end to Joel Cauchi’s stabbing rampage at Bondi Junction Westfield, reflected on the “exceptional circumstances” that day while accepting an award for her bravery on Friday.
The 39-year-old was performing routine checks near the shopping centre when the horror unfolded on a Saturday afternoon in April.
Accepting the NSW Police Commissioner’s Valour Award during a ceremony at the Goulburn police academy, Insp Scott maintained her efforts in approaching the knife-wielding man were instinctual.
“At the end of the day, it came down to my training,” she told attendees.
“Stop the killing, stop the dying.”
While grateful for the accolades, Insp Scott said she would not have been able to do her job without the support of others.
“You are only as strong as the people around you and that goes to my incredible family, the other first responders both at the scene and at the hospital and the extraordinary acts of bravery that we saw from everyday civilians,” she said.
It was also important to remember the victims, their families and friends, who would forever deal with the “unfathomable tragedy”, Insp Scott said.
Since the shocking mass-killing, the officer had relied on the support of the police force, her family and friends – and, in particular, her wife.
“We’re all just ordinary people that are sometimes called upon to do the extraordinary,” Insp Scott said.
“Back on the tools.”
After bystanders directed her to the scene, Insp Scott approached 40-year-old Cauchi on level five of the complex as shoppers fled and others lay injured.
When the Queensland man refused to put the knife down, Insp Scott fired one shot into his chest, sending him to the ground.
She gave him CPR until paramedics arrived, but Cauchi could not be revived.
Premier Chris Minns said he could think of “no finer example of professionalism and instinctive courage” than Insp Scott showed during the attack.
“I think it’s fair to say Inspector Scott hasn’t asked for the limelight and perhaps, doesn’t even like the limelight,” he said.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb reminded the audience of 169 new police graduates the officer was an example of “going above and beyond”.
“There will be days that challenge you, but also many rewarding days,” she said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the officer’s courage.
“There is no doubt that she saved lives,” he told those gathered at a memorial for the victims in April.
Cauchi’s family issued a statement after his death, saying Insp Scott “was only doing her job to protect others” and they hoped she was coping after his “truly horrific” actions.
The attacker had a long history of mental illness and was thought to be sleeping in his car and backpacker hostels after moving to Sydney in the weeks before the stabbing.
Six people were killed and another dozen injured during his rampage.
Five women – Ashlee Good, 38, Dawn Singleton, 25, Pikria Darchia, 55, Jade Young, 47, and Yixuan Cheng, 27 – were among those fatally injured, along with security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.
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