Photo credits: The Guardian
Author’s note:
Mass shootings have become so widespread in the United States that it is commonplace for potential danger to be overlooked in other areas of the world. The Bondi Junction stabbing is one key example of this. This case compelled me not only due to Australia's significantly low crime rate but also due to the attack’s occurrence in broad daylight, with the killer simply walking through the mall and inciting violence. In other words, the circumstances seemed unlikely for a crime this disastrous. Thus, I chose this case to illustrate the cruciality of vigilance and explore whether justice was brought to the victims of the case.
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A mother swaddles her baby as the pair strolls around Bondi Junction Westfield Mall on a lazy Saturday afternoon. It is 3:00 pm. The sunroof above shines a bright, uplifting light onto the mother, who smiles at her baby. Shoppers pass by her, chatting amongst one another, licking ice cream cones, and juggling filled shopping bags.
Strangely, it seems as though the shoppers are walking faster now, but the mother figures she must just be walking slower. She notices the looks on the other shoppers’ faces: shock, confusion, terror. They start running. She turns around.
Twenty meters away stands a tall man, dressed in black and yellow with a tufty mustache and cropped hair, holding a knife the size of a large screwdriver. He looks at her and it seems a switch has turned in his brain as well as hers; she feels her heart drop and he begins running.
Mere seconds later, a sharp, blinding pain strikes her, leaving her gut burning unbearably. She hears cries louder than she has ever heard them before. Forcing open her eyes, she sees blood rushing out of her baby’s stomach.
The mother realizes her chances of survival seem bleak. There was nothing she could do to save herself. In her dying moments, she shoves her baby into the arms of a bystander, begging, hoping for them to save her child.
Then everything goes black.
On April 13th at 3:20 pm, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi entered Bondi Junction Westfield Mall in Australia wielding a knife. Over the next twenty minutes, he killed seventeen civilians, including a nine-month-old baby.
According to eyewitnesses, Cauchi acted unpredictably, jumping at some shoppers with his knife while entirely ignoring others. Officials noted that the majority of his victims were women, raising speculations about his attack motivations.
Despite attempts by numerous shoppers to stop the attacker, including one man even throwing a bollard at him, the perpetrator continued moving around the mall. Ultimately, he was shot and killed by police inspector Amy Scott after he attempted to attack her with his knife. Scott proceeded to perform CPR unsuccessfully on the man directly after the shot. She is now regarded as a “hero” by the New York Post, Daily Mail Online, and other news sources.
What further adds to the tragic nature of this attack is the recklessness that preceded it. Security guards at Westfield Mall claim that they requested additional protection at the mall months before the attack. The request was not acted on, leading some to believe that the mall was prioritizing its brand image over the safety of its customers.
“To [the mall’s management], we’re literally just a number that does the job for them,” said Helal Jawadi, a former security manager at Westfield Airport West.
A few days following the stabbing, hundreds of citizens gathered on Bondi Beach in Sydney to mourn the six people who lost their lives during the incident.
Although Sydney is known as one of the safest cities worldwide with strict anti-gun and knife laws, the attack still occurred and emotionally affected countless citizens. Hence, absolute assurance of safety is simply never dependable.
As Australians work together toward recovery, a discourse has risen on whether Cauchi received the proper punishment. While some may argue that Cauchi’s death signifies an elimination of his potential future crimes and a sort of revenge, others could take the stance that death does not truly bring justice and satisfaction to the families of the victims.
Ironically, Cauchi’s death freed him from public condemnation and a potentially long, painful sentence in prison. Was his escape from a possibly unbearable fate a proper punishment for the lives he took?
Arguably, no, because while death removes the opportunity to see one’s family and friends as well as pursue desires, it is a getaway from years, possibly even decades, of suffering and regret.
Works Cited
Clun, Rachel, and Patrick Begley. “Bondi Junction stabbing as it happened: Multiple dead, injured in Sydney's eastern suburbs; PM, NSW Police Commissioner speak.” The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 April 2024, https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/bondi-junction-shooting-stabbings-live-updates-police-operation-in-sydney-s-eastern-suburbs-20240413-p5fjku.html. Accessed 1 May 2024.
“Hundreds gather on Sydney Beach to mourn Westfield attack victims.” Al Jazeera, 21 April 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/4/21/hundreds-gather-on-sydneys-bondi-beach-to-mourn-westfield-attack-victims. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Ittimani, Luca. “Westfield security guards in Victoria say they requested additional protection months before mass Bondi stabbing.” The Guardian, 25 April 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/26/victorian-security-guards-accuse-westfield-parent-company-of-ignoring-requests-for-more-protection-ntwnfb. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Turnbull, Tiffanie. “Sydney stabbing: Bondi attack on women devastates Australia.” BBC, 19 April 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68852486. Accessed 1 May 2024.
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