A police officer who single-handedly pursued, confronted and shot dead a man who fatally stabbed six people at a Sydney shopping centre will be publicly commended for her bravery.

NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott, hailed a hero for bringing an end to Joel Cauchi’s stabbing rampage at Bondi Junction Westfield, will accept an award at the Goulburn Police Academy on Friday.

Insp Scott was performing routine checks near the shopping centre when the incident unfolded on the Saturday afternoon of April 13.

After bystanders directed her to the scene, the officer approached the 40-year-old Queensland man on level five of the complex as shoppers fled and others lay injured.

When Cauchi refused to put the knife down, Insp Scott fired one shot to his chest, sending him to the ground.

She then walked over and gave him CPR until paramedics arrived but Cauchi was unable to be revived.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the officer’s courage in responding to danger.

“There is no doubt that she saved lives,” he told those gathered at a memorial for the victims in April.

“It’s a reminder that those people who wear uniform are people who rush to danger, not away from it.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns also praised the officer’s “instinctive bravery” as she “ran towards danger” and “without a shadow of a doubt, saved many, many lives”.

Cauchi’s family later issued a statement, saying Insp Scott “was only doing her job to protect others, and we hope she is coping alright”.

Six people were killed in the attack with another dozen injured.

Five women – Ashlee Good, 38, Dawn Singleton, 25, Pikria Darchia, 55, Jade Young, 47, and Yixuan Cheng, 27 – were killed, along with security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.

– AAP