'Bollard Man': Frenchman who confronted stabber describes Sydney attack

A French man, Damien Guerot, has been identified as the viral "Bollard Man" hero who tried to stop the killer during his stabbing spree on Saturday.

Mr Guerot went face-to-face with Joel Cauchi, who wounded shoppers at a Sydney shopping centre. Police have since said he was targeting women.

Armed with a long knife, Cauchi killed six people and injured 12 others before he was shot dead by a police officer.

His senseless act of violence has horrified the country.

But amid the tragedy, many, including the nation's leaders, have been quick to praise acts of bravery from strangers to try and stop him.

The scene of Mr Guerot in a white T-shirt confronting Cauchi on an escalator has in particular gone viral. The video shows him wielding a plastic pole to ward him off.

Local media reported that he had tried to stop Cauchi advancing up to their level, where there was a children's play area nearby.

Mr Guerot says he and a friend, Silas Despreaux, both construction workers, had just launched into action without thinking - acting on pure adrenalin.

The pair had been on their way to the gym in the mall, when they heard the screaming: "There's a man stabbing people."

"We just saw him coming ... we were thinking, 'We need to try to stop him'," Mr Guerot said in an interview with Australian TV network Channel Seven on Sunday.

At that point, he and Mr Despreaux were still on the floor above the man with the knife. As Cauchi moved on to the escalator, Mr Guerot confronted him at the top, waving a bollard in defence.

They were face-to-face for a few seconds. "His eyes were like empty eyes... he wasn't there," Mr Guerot said.

• Knifeman rampaged through Sydney mall as shoppers ran for their lives

• Sydney police identify mall attacker who killed six

Cauchi then turned and fled back down the escalator, with Mr Guerot and Mr Despreaux in hot pursuit.

"We tried to maybe throw the bollard to him but we couldn't [get him]," Mr Guerot said.

Grabbing a chair, he sprinted after Cauchi on the next level down. At that point, a police officer was also on Cauchi's tail, and the men directed Inspector Amy Scott to her target. As he lunged at her with the knife, she shot him dead.

"She was actually the hero, she did the job," Mr Guerot says. "We just did what we did."

Inspector Scott has been hailed for her actions nationally - by the Australian government, police force and wider public. She has declined to speak publicly so far.

Inspector Amy Scott was the sole police officer who apprehended the attacker

Mr Guerot has also been widely praised for his actions.

"We also see the footage of ordinary Australians putting themselves in harm's way in order to help their fellow citizens," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"The best in the state confronted one of the worst we've ever seen," said New South Wales state premier Chris Minns.

At the same time, comments have swirled around on social media drumming up support for "Bollard Man" - people calling him a legend, a hero, saying he deserves a medal, reward money, other forms of recognition.

"This guy, trying to hold back a murderer with a bollard truly is a hero," wrote one user online.

Mr Guerot is on a work visa in Australia due to expire in a few months, Seven Network reported. There are already calls for him to be awarded Australian citizenship.

He says he and his friend just acted in the moment.

"We just did something to [try] and catch him."