Chinese student named as sixth victim of Sydney mall stabbing attack
Yixuan Cheng was one of six people killed at Westfield shopping centre
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Your support makes all the difference.The final victim of the stabbing attack at a Sydney shopping centre has been identified as Chinese student Yixuan Cheng.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Cheng was one of the six people killed in the knife attack at the Westfield shopping centre at Bondi Junction in the east of the city.
“She was a Chinese national studying here who’s lost her life, along with Ashlee Good, Dawn Singleton, Jade Young, Pikria Darchia and the security guard who lost his life, a refugee who had only been here for a short period of time,” he said in an interview with Triple M radio.
The security guard was Faraz Tahir from Pakistan.
New South Wales police assistant commissioner Tony Cooke said the force had made contact with the overseas families of two of the victims who were travelling to Australia.
“We’ll support those families as we are with all through the liaison officer program to ensure they’re getting the support and information that they need,” he said.
Ms Singleton, 25, was the daughter of John Singleton, 82, an Australian entrepreneur who found success in advertising. He has eight children.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she had studied for a degree in communications at the University of Technology Sydney and worked at clothes retailer White Fox Boutique.
In a tribute released on Instagram, her employers said: “Over the weekend we lost not only an employee of White Fox but someone special to us who felt like a family member.”
“We are all truly devastated by this loss. Dawn was a sweet, kindhearted person who had her whole life ahead of her. She was amazing.”
Ms Good, 38, who was attempting to save her nine-month-old baby when she was attacked, later died in hospital.
Police said the baby had undergone surgery following the attack.
A statement from Ms Good’s family provided to the PA news agency said: “Today we are reeling from the terrible loss of Ashlee, a beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all-round outstanding human, and so much more.”
“We appreciate the well wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashlee and our baby girl.”
New South Wales health minister Ryan Park said on Monday her daughter Harriet had moved from a critical to serious but stable condition in Sydney Children’s Hospital.
Mr Tahir was described by the Australian Pakistani National Association as “courageous” on social media.
“Let us stand together in solidarity, offering support and prayers to those grieving and affected by this heartbreaking loss,” the statement said.
New South Wales Police confirmed the remaining victims were Jade Young, 47, who worked as an architect in Sydney, and Pikria Darchia, 55, who described herself as an artist on her LinkedIn profile.
The attacker has been named as Joel Cauchi, 40, from Queensland. He suffered from mental health issues, police said.
He attacked shoppers on Saturday afternoon before he was shot dead by police inspector Amy Scott, who has been praised by Mr Albanese for her bravery.
New South Wales Police said Scott, 39, has 19 years of experience and is attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command. Her family has requested privacy.