A young woman killed in the Sydney massacre had been trying on clothes and chatting to her fiancé on social media moments before attack, it is said.
Yixuan Cheng, 25, was confirmed by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese as the sixth fatality in the horror at Westfield Shopping Centre, in Bondi Junction. The knifeman - 40-year-old Joel Cauchi who was known to authorities - was shot dead by a courageous police inspector.
Ms Cheng's fiancé in China, named as Mr Wang, told a Chinese publication he had spoken to her on social media moments before the attack on Saturday. Ms Cheng had sent her partner pictures of her trying on clothes and a handbag but, when Mr Wang tried to contact his fiancée, he got no response. She had been stabbed by Cauchi, who'd killed five other people in a horrendous rampage.
Mr Wang said: "She even tried on clothes for me to see." His partner was studying for a master's degree in economics at the University of Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed.
"She was a Chinese national studying here who’s lost her life, along with Ashlee Good, Dawn Singleton, Jade Young, Pikria Darchia and the security guard who lost his life, a refugee who had only been here for a short period of time,” Mr Albanese said in an interview with Triple M radio.
New South Wales police said they are looking into the possibility attacker Joel Cauchi targeted women when choosing his victims in the Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction. Eight other women are in hospital with serious injuries sustained in the massacre.
The attack was only brought to a stop when lone police officer Amy Scott shot and killed Cauchi. Police do not believe the attack was terror-motivated.
Dawn Singleton, 25, was also killed by the knifeman. She was described as a "sweet, kind-hearted person" with "her whole life ahead of her" by employers clothing brand White Fox. She had only recently announced her engagement to high school sweetheart Ashley Wildey, a New South Wales police officer, and was in the process of sending out invitations for the wedding.
A tribute to White Fox Boutique released on Instagram read: “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 & deepest condolences to her partner, the Singleton family & her friends. She will always be remembered as part of the White Fox family."