A couple in their sixties were shot dead after attempting to intervene during an attack at Bondi Beach. Authorities said the victims tried to stop the assailants before being fatally injured.
Elderly couple aged sixty-something killed when attempting to halt the Bondi Beach assailants
As a Sydney shopkeeper is being praised as a hero for overpowering one of the gunmen who opened fire at a Jewish holiday gathering at Bondi Beach, a couple and another man who lost their lives after directly confronting the attackers are also being honoured for their brave attempts to protect others.
The couple, both in their 60s and named by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as Boris and Sofia Gurman, were captured on video rushing at one of the two shooters as he stepped out of his vehicle, before they were fatally shot.
Dashcam footage, confirmed by Reuters, showed one attacker struggling over a long-barrelled firearm with an older man wearing a lavender shirt and shorts, before the pair crashed to the ground behind a silver hatchback vehicle.
Authorities said the confrontation unfolded within moments of the attackers arriving at the scene, leaving little time for police intervention. Witnesses described chaos as shots rang out near the gathering, with several people fleeing for cover while others attempted to help the injured. Emergency services were quickly dispatched, but despite their efforts, the victims succumbed to their wounds at the scene. Investigators are continuing to piece together the sequence of events, examining CCTV and dashcam recordings while speaking with witnesses. Officials emphasised that the actions of civilians who intervened, though tragically costly, likely prevented further loss of life during the violent incident.
Community leaders and public officials have since paid tribute to the victims, describing them as ordinary people who displayed extraordinary courage in the face of danger. Vigils have been organised across Sydney to honour those who died while trying to protect others, with many attendees laying flowers and lighting candles in remembrance. Prime Minister Albanese said their actions reflected deep compassion and selflessness, values that resonate strongly within Australian society. Support services have been made available to witnesses and affected families, as the city continues to grapple with shock, grief, and questions surrounding security at public events.
Video footage shows the man wearing lavender, accompanied by a woman, rising while holding the firearm as the clip continues. Separate drone images later capture both lying unmoving beside a car near a pedestrian bridge, where police eventually shot the attackers.
“An older man standing by the road did not flee — instead, he ran directly toward the threat, using all his strength to seize the weapon and fighting until his final moments,” wrote dashcam owner Jenny, who provided the footage to Reuters, on Chinese social media platform RedNote. “From my camera, I saw the elderly man was eventually shot and fell. That instant shattered my heart.”
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the couple were Russian-Jewish. Boris had worked as a mechanic before retiring, while Sofia was employed by Australia Post.
“Although nothing can ease the anguish of losing Boris and Sofia, we are filled with immense pride in their courage and selflessness,” their family said in a statement to the Herald. The couple were among 15 victims killed in Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades. Authorities allege the attackers were a father and son, describing the assault as a terrorist act aimed at the Jewish community. Police said the incident appeared to have been inspired by Islamic State.
Another victim, 62-year-old Reuven Morrison, was also fatally shot after attempting to stop the violence, his daughter Sheina Gutnick told CBS News in a report released Monday.
“He reacted the moment the gunfire began. He threw bricks, shouting at the terrorist and shielding his community,” she said. “If there was one way for him to leave this world, it would be fighting a terrorist.”
Morrison’s actions appear in multiple videos circulating online. After 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim father of two, rushed one gunman from behind and disarmed him, another man is seen pursuing the attacker and throwing an object. Morrison, who originally emigrated from the former Soviet Union, was later shot dead, Gutnick said.
Ahmed remains in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds, while donations raised to support him have exceeded A$2.4 million ($1.6 million).
