Hostage in Sydney cafe siege was killed by police bullet ricochet

One of the hostages held during a siege at an Australian cafe last month was killed by a ricochet of at least one police bullet that also injured three other hostages. Barrister and mother-of-three Katrina Dawson, 38, was killed along with cafe manager Tori Johnson, 34, and Iranian-born gunman Man Haron Monis, 50, when police stormed the cafe in Sydney’s financial district on December 16. Some 22 shots were fired by the officers at Monis who fired twice. Jeremy Gormly, counsel assisting the New South Wales state coroner, said Katrina Dawson was hit by six fragments of a police bullet, or bullets, with one striking a major blood vessel.

Ms Dawson was struck by six fragments of a police bullet or bullets which ricocheted from hard surfaces into her body.

Counsel assisting the coroner’s inquest, Jeremy Gormly

Johnson’s execution - he was ordered to kneel and then shot without warning at close range in the back of the head  - was witnessed by a police marksman, Gormly said. Monis was struck by several bullets to the head and body. The inquest at the NSW Coroners’ Court will outline what happened in the siege, investigate the police response to the hostage situation and delve into the background and motivations of Monis.

[Tori] Johnson was made by Mr Monis to kneel on the floor of the cafe. After a short lapse of time, Mr Monis simply shot him without further notice or warning in the back of the head.

Jeremy Gormly

World sydneysiege