Westfield Bondi Junction inquest: Inspector Amy Scott recalls how she tried to get Joel Cauchi's attention before she shot him dead
New South Wales Police Inspector Amy Scott has given emotional testimony on day two of the inquest into the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing attack, saying she had accepted that she was going to die.
Inspector Scott, who has been hailed a hero for her swift actions, admitted she felt "nauseous" as she entered the shopping centre alone.
"I actually felt nauseous as I ran in," she told the coroner on Tuesday.
"In my head I had resigned myself to the fact I was probably going to die."
The police officer had initially intended to wait for backup, but entered alone, knowing the situation was critical.
"We had gotten multiple calls, multiple stabbings, multiple locations at Bondi Junction Westfield - and I knew right then that it was very real," she told the coroner.
"People started saying to me, 'there's a guy in there with a knife, he's stabbing people, he's killing people. You've got to help us, please get in there'."
Joel Cauchi killed six and injured 10 people during the stabbing rampage. I mouthed "run"
The inquest heard Inspector Scott's actions to ensure civilians were either behind her or out of her line of sight, could have prevented further casualties.
She recalled directing a woman with a pram, who was hiding behind a pot plant about 15m from the suspect, to move to safety.
"The lady had hidden behind a pot plant around 15m from Joel and I mouthed to her 'run'," she told the inquest.
"For a second he turned as if he was going to go that way. At that point I yelled out 'mate'.
"I started trying to get my body worn camera on and took my eyes off him. He was kind of rocking, then he just sprinted downhill at me with his knife out."
She discharged her firearm three times - one bullet missed and struck the pot plant where the woman had been hiding.
Inspector Scott acknowledged that if she hadn't taken the actions to ensure civilians were out of her line of sight, the woman may have been injured or shot. "We're coming with you"
French construction workers Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux, who helped direct Inspector Scott towards Cauchi, also gave evidence at the inquest on Tuesday.
Inspector Scott recalled the moment the pair offered to accompany her, to which she responded, "stay behind me".
"As we were going up to the escalator, one of them tapped me on the back and said: 'you're on your own, we're coming with you'," she recalled.
The coroner read out a statement issued by the two men, saying the pair heard about what happened and were determined to "let's go catch him".
"I knew I needed to stop him even if it meant hurting him," the statement read.
NSW State Coroner Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan thanked the pair.
"Thank you for your courage. It was extraordinary the things you did on that day. I hope you are healing, and I hope this process helps your healing as well," Magistrate O'Sullivan said.
The five-week inquest continues.
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