What We Know About the Sydney Siege Victims
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Photo by Andrew Meares/Fairfax Media via Getty Images(SYDNEY) — Police have confirmed that in addition to the self-proclaimed Islamic “sheikh” who took control of a chocolate shop in downtown Sydney, two others were killed during the siege.
Of the 17 total hostages, at least 12 were reportedly able to flee from the store before police stormed the shop.
One of the slain hostages was Tori Johnson, 34, the manager of the cafe, according to Channel 9 News in Australia. Johnson tried to knock the gun out of the hostage taker Man Monis’ hand, Channel 9 reported.
“Tori had been with us at Lindt for just over two years and he was a great ambassador for our company and the store that he managed, which he cared about passionately. He was a dedicated professional who always built a great rapport with his customers and was much loved by the Lindt team,” Lindt Chocolate Cafe Australia said in a statement. “By nature he was a perfectionist and he had a genuine passion for the hospitality industry and people. He was a really important part of our management team in Australia and his loss is absolutely tragic. Our thoughts are with his family and we will do all that we can to provide ongoing support and help for them during this very difficult time.”
The other hostage who was killed was identified as attorney and mother of three Katrina Dawson, 38, according to the New South Wales Bar Association.
“Katrina, together with two other members of the NSW Bar, were held as hostages during the incident at the Lindt Café,” Jane Needham, president of the bar association, said in a statement. “Katrina was one of our best and brightest barristers who will be greatly missed by her colleagues and friends at the NSW Bar. She was a devoted mother of three children, and a valued member of her floor and of our bar community. Our thoughts are with her family at this time, including her brother, Sandy Dawson of Banco Chambers.”
Monis was believed to be a self-proclaimed Islamic “sheikh” who is known to Australian police because he was allegedly involved in dozens of counts of sexual assault, according to Australia’s 9News.
The spokeswoman for Royal North Shore Hospital confirmed to ABC News earlier Monday that there were three people there being treated for injuries sustained during the siege. One was a 39-year-old policeman who is in stable condition after being grazed on the cheek by a gunshot, the spokeswoman said.
Police identified the rest of the injured as: a 75-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to the shoulder; a 52-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to the foot; a 43-year-old woman who was shot in the leg; and two pregnant women, one 30 and one 35, both of who were assessed for health and welfare purposes. All were in stable condition, according to police, who declined to give names or hospital information.
Four videos that were reportedly filmed inside the café were released online — and have since been removed. In the videos, several people who appear to be hostages identify themselves and speak on behalf of their captor, stating his demands.
A U.S. State Department official told ABC News that Australian authorities have not confirmed the identities of the hostages but, “at this stage, we are not aware of U.S. citizens having been involved.”
Some of the hostages have been identified through the Australian press, and people claiming to be relatives of the hostages have written about their loved ones on social media, but none of the hostages have spoken out publicly at this point.
Two of the first hostages to emerge from the chocolate shop were wearing the company’s aprons and were believed to be employees at the store.
The Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian newspaper, identified one of the first hostages seen running from the store as Elly Chen, a waitress at the café.
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