Dramatic footage has emerged of two victims who were killed while trying to stop a gunman during the early stages of the Bondi beach terror attack on Sunday.
The couple have been identified as Boris Gurman (69) and Sofia Gurman (61) after their family gave a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris and Sofia Gurman,” the family said.
“They had been married for 34 years, with their 35th wedding anniversary approaching in January. We were looking forward to celebrating Sofia’s 62nd birthday on Wednesday 17th of December.”
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Dashcam footage posted to the Chinese social media platform Rednote showed the moment Boris, wearing a purple shirt, tackled shooter Sajid Akram on Campbell Parade in Bondi as he emerged from his car, which had an Islamic State flag draped over the front windscreen.
Boris appears to push Akram on to the road and wrestle a gun from his hands. Sofia was also involved in the confrontation.
The footage was posted to social media by a Sydney resident whose dashcam unexpectedly caught the incident. “Such civilian heroes shouldn’t be forgotten,” she wrote in Mandarin on the post. “I’m truly heartbroken.”
Separate footage from a drone, taken afterwards, shows the couple lying motionless together on the footpath.
“Boris was a retired mechanic, known for his generosity, quiet strength and willingness to lend a hand to anyone in need. Sofia worked at Australia Post and was deeply loved by her colleagues and community,” the couple’s family said.
“Bondi locals, together they lived honest, hard-working lives and treated everyone they met with kindness, warmth and respect. Boris and Sofia were devoted to their family and to each other. They were the heart of our family, and their absence has left an immeasurable void.”
The family also paid tribute to their courage in the face of terror.
“In recent days, we have become aware of footage showing Boris, with Sofia by his side, courageously attempting to disarm an attacker in an effort to protect others,” the family said.
“While nothing can lessen the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we feel an overwhelming sense of pride in their bravery and selflessness. This encapsulates who Boris and Sofia were – people who instinctively and selflessly tried to help others.
“We are deeply grateful for the love, compassion and support that has been shown to our family during this unimaginable time. From here, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve.”
The couple are among the 15 victims of the Bondi beach terror attack.
Most of the victims were attending a celebration for the first day of Hanukkah when the shooting began. The attack is the worst mass shooting in Australia since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
A further 38 people were wounded and 24, including two police officers, remained in hospital as of Tuesday afternoon.
On Tuesday afternoon, six colleagues of Sofia’s from Australia Post attended the Bondi Pavilion to pay tribute to their friend. One of the Australia Post workers, who didn’t wish to be named, worked with her for years. All arrived together in uniform and lay a single white rose each and a card.
“It’s very tragic and seeing this video made us realise just how brave she and her husband was,” a colleague of Sofia’s said.
Bystanders have been widely applauded for stepping into the line of danger during the attack to attempt to stop the gunmen.
They include Ahmed al-Ahmed, who was thanked by the prime minister Anthony Albanese, and US president Donald Trump, for running towards Akram, leaping on to him and wrestling the gun from his hands.
Ahmed remains in a critical but stable condition at St George Hospital in Sydney after he was shot four to five times in his shoulder during the altercation, according to his parents.
The daughter of victim Reuven Morrison has identified her father as the man seen hurling an object in the same widely circulated footage.
“If there was one way for him to go on this earth, it would be fighting a terrorist. There was no other way he would be taken from us. He went down fighting, protecting the people he loved most,” Sheina Gutnick told CBS News on Tuesday.
Sajid Akram was shot dead by police, while his son Naveed remains in hospital under guard. – Guardian
