Ricochets from police gunfire killed one of the two hostages who died in a 16-hour siege at a central Sydney cafe last month, an inquest into the deadly standoff heard yesterday.
Barrister and mother-of-three Katrina Dawson, 38, died along with cafe manager Tori Johnson, 34, and Iranian-born gunman Man Haron Monis, 50, when police stormed the financial district cafe in the early hours of Dec. 16 last year.
“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 said.
“I will not detail the damage done to Ms Dawson other than to say that one fragment struck a major blood vessel,” he said. “She lost consciousness quickly and died shortly afterwards.”
Seventeen hostages were holed up in the Lindt Chocolate cafe, with the New South Wales Coroners’ Court likely to call on those who survived to give evidence during the inquest, Gormly said.
“Difficult as it may be for them, it seems unavoidable that they will be asked to give evidence,” he said. “They are our eyes and ears and memory of what happened during those hours inside the Lindt cafe.”
The inquest is set to outline what happened, hear about the hostages’ experiences, investigate how New South Wales Police managed the siege, and delve into Monis’ background and motivations.
A separate investigation commissioned by the Australian and New South Wales governments is set to submit a report in the next few days. The inquest will review the report’s findings.
The standoff shocked Australians, with thousands laying bouquets at a large makeshift memorial near the cafe.
Gormly said Johnson was shot in the back of the head by Monis with a sawn-off shotgun just moments after several hostages escaped.
“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,” he said.
“The end of the barrel was about 75cm from Mr Johnson’s head at the moment of discharge.”
Outside the court, one of the hostages who escaped in the first few hours, 82-year-old John O’Brien, told news.com.au it was “upsetting” to hear about Johnson’s final minutes.
Gormly said the killing was witnessed by a police marksman, which led to the order for police “tactical operatives” to storm the cafe.
About 22 shots were fired by the officers after 11 flash bangs were thrown into the room, while Monis fired two shots, the hearing was told.
“Bullets and fragments of bullets hit Mr Monis, who was, it seems, killed instantly,” Gormly said. “At least two bullets — police bullets or bullet fragments — hit Mr Monis in the head and 11 other bullets — police bullets or fragments — hit him in the body.”
During the standoff, Monis fired a total of five rounds from his shotgun, which he took into the cafe on Dec. 15 last year at 8:33am.
None of the rounds struck anyone apart from Johnson, “although he appears to have been trying to do so,” Gormly added.
The inquest is to look into Monis’ claims that his actions were an attack on Australia by the Islamic State group — formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant — and whether he had any terrorist associations.
However, Gormly said that “at present it seems he had not established any contact” with the militant organization.
Australia raised its threat level to high in September last year and carried out a series of counterterrorism raids following a flow of its nationals to Iraq and Syria to fight with the Islamic State and other extremist groups.
Questions raised in the siege’s aftermath about why Monis, who had a history of extremism and violence, was free on bail — despite facing serious charges, including abetting the murder of his ex-wife — are to be explored.
The hearing was told that coroner Michael Barnes had commissioned an independent review into police handling of the siege, to be undertaken by British police specializing in siege management, supported by experts from other Australian states.
“If there were defects in the management of the siege, they will be exposed,” Gormly said.
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