The man who fatally stabbed six people at Bondi Junction’s Westfield had not been taking his medication to treat his long-term schizophrenia in the years before the attack. The revelation was made in a preliminary hearing of a coronial inquest into the horrific attacks. Many of the victims’ families attended the hearing. The inquiry will examine every aspect of the tragedy, including whether it could have been avoided.
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00:00The year before, Joel Couchie walked into Westfield-Bondi Junction armed with a large
00:06hunting knife.
00:08His parents confiscated his collection of similar weapons.
00:12The coroner's court heard they told Queensland police in early 2023 they were worried about
00:17their son's deteriorating mental state.
00:20But police officers did not consider they had a basis to detain Mr Couchie involuntarily
00:25at that time.
00:27The coronial inquest is investigating the mass stabbing of 16 people at the shopping
00:31centre on April 13.
00:34Six were killed by Couchie, including security guard Faraz Tahir, whose brothers attended
00:39the hearing.
00:41The court heard Couchie had long-term schizophrenia but had been off his medication since 2019.
00:48And in the four years before the attack, the court heard there was no particular treatment
00:52directed at Mr Couchie's mental health and the evidence suggests a deterioration in his
00:57mental health over that time.
00:59On the day of the attack, Couchie retrieved his knife from a storage locker before walking
01:04into Westfield.
01:05In less than three minutes, 16 people were stabbed and injured in what appeared to be
01:10indiscriminate attacks.
01:13Police Inspector Amy Scott managed to chase Couchie down and shoot him dead.
01:18It was only after his death that the shopping centre alarm finally sounded.
01:23The court today heard the inquest will examine whether security procedures in place at Westfield-Bondi
01:28Junction were good enough and whether security guards were adequately trained and equipped
01:33to deal with a mass casualty event.
01:35I hope there will be some changes for the security guards, for their equipment, that
01:43can secure them and secure their lives.
01:46The inquest will resume next year.