Father of the attacker who stabbed six people mostly women to death at a mall near Bondi junction in Sydney, Australia has said that the son may have committed the crime out of frustration in trying to have a girlfriend.

The father who spoke with local newspaper in Australia said his son have made efforts to have a girlfriend but he was frustrated.

It was gathered that the only man killed during the attack was 30-year-old security guard, Faraz Tahir, who had arrived in Australia last year as a refugee from Pakistan, according to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Australia, to which he belonged.

The knife-wielding man at a mall in a Sydney suburb stabbed nearly 20 people, including a 9-month-old girl. Six people died, including the baby’s mother. The attacker, whose motives is said to be an act of frustration with women by his dad, was shot and killed by a lone female police officer.

“These things don’t happen in Australia,” said Kristie Spong, 54, who had been to the mall with her daughter a few days earlier and returned Sunday to lay flowers at a memorial.

International News Agency, Reuters had reported that the man who fatally stabbed six people at a mall in Sydney’s beachside suburb of Bondi seems to have targeted women, police said, as the attacker’s father opened up about his son’s long history of mental illness and frustrations with women.

“Clad in shorts and an Australian national rugby league jersey, Joel Cauchi, 40, roamed through the busy Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday with a large knife. Five of the six people who he killed were women as were the majority of the 12 injured.

He was shot to death by Inspector Amy Scott, who confronted him alone on the fifth floor after a pursuit through the mall.

The attacker’s father, Andrew Cauchi, told reporters on Monday he was devastated by the news and said his son had a long history of mental illness and frustrations with women.

“He wanted a girlfriend and he has no social skills and he was frustrated out of his brain,” he said in comments reported by The Australian newspaper.

The comments came hours after senior police officers said they were investigating the possibility the attacker had focused on women.

“It’s obvious to me, it’s obvious to detectives that seems to be an area of interest that the offender had focused on women and avoided the men,” New South Wales state Police Commissioner, Karen Webb told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Joel Cauchi killed six people and left more in hospital after a mass stabbing in the Westfield Shopping Centre, in Bondi Junction, Australia.

Police have said they are not treating the incident as terror related.

Sky News in its report stated that the six persons who died in the Sydney shopping centre stabbings have been named.

“Yixuan Cheng, 25, was from China and was studying for a master’s degree in economics at the University of Sydney, according to Sky News Australia.

Her name was confirmed by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.

Ms Cheng’s fiance in China, named as Mr Wang, told a Chinese publication he had spoken to her on social media moments before the attack on Saturday.

“She even tried on clothes for me to see,” he said, adding that she had sent him a photo of her trying on a handbag earlier that afternoon.

After the stabbing attack, he tried to contact her but there was no response.

It comes as New South Wales police revealed they are looking into the possibility that attacker Joel Cauchi targeted women when choosing his victims in the Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction.

Police have said that the 40-year-old had a history of mental health issues, and they do not believe the attack was terror-motivated.

Ashlee Good, 38, a new mum, tried to save her nine-month-old baby Harriet when she was attacked.

She was said to have passed her baby off to two men after she was badly injured.

In a statement, ABC reported her family 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.”

The family added that after “hours of surgery” baby Harriet was doing well and they offered their thanks to the men who cared for her during the attack.

In one of her most recent posts, Good wrote on her LinkedIn page: “And just like that, seven beautiful months have passed and it’s time to return to the office.

“It’s not lost on me what a privilege it is to become a parent.

“And then to be gifted some extra time away from work to spend with your child… it’s very special.”

The daughter of a well-known Australian businessman was also named as one of the six victims killed in the attack.

Dawn Singleton, 25, is the daughter of John Singleton, 82, a well-known Australian entrepreneur who built his success through advertising.

She was the oldest daughter of Mr Singleton’s marriage to his sixth wife.

According to Singleton’s LinkedIn profile, she had studied a degree in communications at the University of Technology, Sydney.

Singleton worked at the White Fox Boutique who released a tribute on Instagram.

It said: “In loving memory of Dawn. 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, kind-hearted person who had her whole life ahead of her. She was really amazing.

“We send our love and deepest condolences to her partner, the Singleton family and her friends. She will always be remembered as part of the White Fox family.”

He worked as a security guard at the shopping centre.

Faraz Tahir was named by the Australian Pakistani National Association, which labelled him “courageous” in a statement on social media.

They said: “With heavy hearts, we share the news of a tragic incident at a Sydney mall, where lives were lost, including a courageous Pakistani national Faraz Ahmed who had moved from Brisbane for work.”

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Australia said: “Faraz Tahir, aged 30, sought refuge in Australia just a year ago, fleeing persecution in his home country of Pakistan. He quickly became an integral part of our community, known for his unwavering dedication and kindness.”

On Sunday, New South Wales Police confirmed a fourth victim, 47-year-old Jade Young.

Young worked as an architect in Sydney.

She was reportedly a member of Bronte Surf Life Saving Club, which issued a statement cancelling a weekend event.

They added: “This is and will be a difficult time for the community, and we encourage you to seek support from family, friends, fellow club members or to speak to your GP to assist you in processing this tragedy. We are here to support the community, and our heartfelt condolences go out to everyone affected.”

The fifth victim of the attack was named as 55-year-old Pikria Darchia, New South Wales Police said.

Ms Darchia, according to her LinkedIn profile, worked in Tbilisi, Georgia, as a designer from 2003 to 2013 and described herself as an artist”, Sky news report ended in quote.