Two hostages who died in the siege of a Sydney café have been hailed as heroes. Tori Johnson, the manager of the Lindt café where the hostages were held, attempted to grab the gun from hostage taker Man Haron Monis. Mr Johnson tragically died, but his heroism helped to raise the alarm that led to police action and the eventual freeing of the other hostages.
Barrister Katrina Dawson shielded her pregnant friend from gunfire, sacrificing her own life. Ms Dawson was ‘one of our best and brightest barristers’, according to the New South Wales Bar Association. She leaves behind two daughters and a son.
Australian prime minister Tony Abbott described the incident as ‘the sick fantasy of a deeply disturbed individual’. Man Haron Monis was known to the Australian authorities but was not on a terror watch list, according to reports.