Sydney attack: Tragic bride-to-be Dawn Singleton had bought her wedding dress just days before she was stabbed to death
A BRIDE-TO-BE had bought her wedding dress just days before she was tragically killed by the rampaging knifeman at Sydney mall.
Dawn Singleton, 25, was preparing to marry her high school sweetheart later this year.
Singleton had already picked out her wedding dress and attended fittings the week before the attack at Bondi junction shopping centre.
The bride-to-be had reportedly sent out save-the-date invitations to friends and family ahead of her big day.
But her life ended abruptly when she got stabbed to death – along with five other people – by killer Joel Cauchi on Saturday.
Cauchi, 40, unleashed terror on Westfield mall, “indiscriminately swiping” at people and injuring four, including a nine-month-old baby.
The assailant was shortly shot and killed after raising knife at a hero cop, who happened to be nearby when the attack happened.
Singleton’s fiance, NSW Police Officer Ashley Wildey, had arrived at the shopping centre to assist his colleagues after the end of his shift.
A source told the Daily Telegraph: “He had arrived at Westfield when officers realised his fiancée was one of the victims.”
As per protocol, Wildey was then permitted to leave the scene to be consoled by his family.
Singleton, affectionately known as Dawnie, was one of eight children of multi-millionaire advertising gury John Singleton.
Her friend, Jade O’Connor, posted a heart-wrenching tribute on Facebook: “I should be writing your wedding speech.
“Instead I sit here sobbing coming to terms with how life isn’t fair that you are no longer here.
“Dawn, you were my best friend, my absolute whole world.
“You were kind and caring and the absolute best dog Mom (sic).
“You lit up every room you walked into.
“This year you were meant to be married to the love of your life … I’m not sure how I am meant to live in a world without you.
“I’m so broken and can’t believe this is reality.
“I love you so much Dawn and I will remember you every day for the rest of my life.”
Singleton was the second victim to be identified after a first-time-mum and osteopath, Dr Ashlee Good was pronounced dead on arrival at the emergency room.
Four women between the age of 20 and 55 have been killed in the savage mall attack.
Whether the knifeman was targeting women in his stabbing spree will be an “obvious line of inquiry”, according to police.
Cauchi is thought to have “weird” interests, including intense love for knives, and is said to have previously called police to claim “domestic violence” after his parents hid knives from him.
Police investigated the incident, which is believed to have taken place last year, but did not take any action as no domestic violence had been committed, the Courier Mail reports.
A hero bystander who bravely faced down Cauchi with a bollard has told of how the killer’s eyes were “empty”.
The French construction worker confronted the assailant to stop him from reaching a children’s play area in the Aussie shopping centre.
NINE PEOPLE STABBED
Eight patients were rushed to various hospital facilities across Sydney – their conditions ranging from serious to critical – and six other injured people were assessed by NSW paramedics at the scene.
Witnesses who were shopping inside the centre said they heard screaming before they saw the attacker “indiscriminately swiping” at people as he calmly walked along the corridors.
Other civilians were reported to have provided make-shift medical aid to stabbing victims.
Yesterday, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cook said that the knifeman had “engaged with” nine people in the centre.
He said on Saturday: “About 3.10 this afternoon a male walked into a restaurant at Bondi Junction, he left the centre and then returned about 3.20.
“As he moved to the centre, he engaged with about nine people, and it’s clear that during that engagement he caused harm to those people, we believe by stabbing them with a weapon he was carrying.”
He said the man was shot after he raised a knife at a senior police officer, who reports suggest is the brave Inspector Amy.
Cook explained: “She (the inspector) confronted the offender who had moved by this stage to level five, as she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him.
“He turned, faced her, raised a knife. She discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the senior police officer a “hero”.
He said: “There is no doubt she saved lives through her action and it is a reminder that those people who wear uniform are people who rush to danger, not away from it and I give thanks to every one of them for the actions they have taken up to now.”
The number of people killed by the knifeman rose to six about 8pm local time on Saturday.
Five of the six people who tragically died in the attack have been named as security guard Faraz Tahir, 30; Pikria Darchia, 55; architect Jade Young, 47; Dawn Singleton, 25; and Ashlee Good, 38.
Video showed crowds fleeing the busy mall – located in Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs, just a five-minute drive from Bondi Beach – as police officers rushed to the scene about 3.45pm.