The condition of six people recovering in hospital from a nightmare stabbing at Bondi Junction Westfield has improved.
Joel Cauchi, 40, killed six people and stabbed 12 more during a murderous rampage through the eastern Sydney shopping centre last SaturdaY.
Six of the stabbing victims – two men, three women and a nine-month-old baby –are still recovering in hospital and as of Saturday, all of them have improved to a stable condition, according to NSW Health.
A candle-lit vigil will give residents of Sydney a chance to come together and mourn what has been a “terrible week”, including the stabbing attack at Bondi and a second two days later at a Wakeley church in the city’s south-west.
It will take place at Bondi Beach from 5pm on Sunday.
“I think if we can stand together during the difficult periods, we can send a message that there are far more good people in this city than there are bad actors and there is evil,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said.
“Those that have lost loved ones have said unanimously that they can feel the community support behind them and that they know that they’re not alone.”
The Premier said he has learned more about the six victims who were killed during the attack last week, and all of whom were described by loved ones as “”hopeful, optimistic people”.
“One thing that they all had in common was they seemed like hopeful, optimistic people that were focused on tomorrow and to lose them to lose that sense of potential adds to the stress and grief that these families have,” he told reporters.
He said tomorrow would be a great opportunity to “stand by those that have lost loved ones and remember those that have been killed.”
Counsellors and support services have been made available to emergency responders who have been on scene at multiple violent attacks this week.
“You can understand that the trauma associated with that will bring up lots of emotions,” he said.
“My hope is that mixed in with that emotion is pride in the job that they’ve done on behalf of the people of NSW because when they were asked to stand up they did exactly that.”
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