Matt Doran couldn’t present Weekend Sunrise because he knew one of the Bondi Junction Westfield victims ‘very well’

Weekend Sunrise host Matt Doran was unable to present the program on Sunday because he knew one of the victims of the Bondi Junction Westfield massacre.

Doran’s regular co-host Monique Wright told viewers that both Doran and weatherman James Tobin were close to one of the mall stabbings.

“Matt Doran and JT knew one of the victims very well and they are not with us today to be on the show,” Wright said.

Michael Usher stood in for Doran as the Network Seven breakfast show continued its coverage of the multiple murders.

Police have identified the man who killed six shoppers on Saturday afternoon as 40-year-old Queenslander Joel Cauchi.

Cauchi, who reportedly slept rough and had no fixed address, is believed to be suffering from schizophrenia.

Investigators are searching through a small warehouse in Sydney that Cauchi rented out shortly after he moved to NSW a month ago.

Police were called to Bondi Junction Westfield at 3.20pm on Saturday as Cauchi, armed with a knife, chased men, women and children.

Inspector Amy Scott was the first officer on the scene. She entered the mall alone, ran towards Cauchi and shot and killed him when he lunged at her with the knife.

Both Doran and the Weekend Sunrise weatherman “knew one of the victims very well,” co-host Monique Wright told the audience. Doran is pictured reporting on the Hunter Valley wedding bus tragedy last year

Five stabbing victims – including four women believed to be aged between 20 and 55 and a man in his 30s – died at the scene, who was in the centre, died at the scene.

Ashlee Good, mother of a nine-month-old child, was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital where she died.

Dawn Singleton, the 25-year-old daughter of multimillionaire advertising guru John Singleton, has also been identified as one of those killed in the attack.

Twelve others – including nine women, two men and Ms Good’s baby Harriet – suffering from stab wounds, were treated by paramedics and taken to various Sydney hospitals.

Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said detectives had spoken to Cauchi’s family, who were helping police with their investigation.

“There is still, up to this point … no information that we have received, no evidence that we have found, no intelligence that we have gathered that suggests that this was driven by any particular motivation — ideology or otherwise,” Assistant Commissioner Cooke told reporters. Sunday.

Police have identified the man who killed six shoppers on Saturday afternoon as 40-year-old Queenslander Joel Cauchi (above). Cauchi, who reportedly slept rough and had no fixed address, is believed to be suffering from schizophrenia

“We are continuing to work through the profiling of the offender, but very clearly to us at this stage it appears that this is related to the mental health of the person involved.”

According to his social media profiles, Cauchi grew up in Toowoomba and claimed to work as an English teacher.

A surfing enthusiast, he posted in a Facebook group in Sydney last week asking if anyone would like to meet him for a surf in Bondi.

Assistant Commissioner Cooke said police were still working to determine how Cauchi came into possession of the murder weapon, which witnesses described as a 30cm hunting knife

While the investigation continues, any witnesses, anyone with information or mobile phone sightings who have not yet spoken to police are urged to call police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.