Dashcam footage released Tuesday showed two bystanders attempting to disarm one of the suspects before he carried out the horrific attack on a Hanukkah event attended by hundreds of family members, killing at least 15 people.
The video, first posted on Chinese social media platform XiaoHongShu and geolocated by CNN, shows a man in a purple shirt struggling with his attacker as he exits a car at Bondi’s Campbell Parade. A woman can be seen running toward the scene.
Dashcam video shows bystander confronting Bondi Beach gunman
Dashcam video shows bystander confronting Bondi Beach gunman
1:07
CNN affiliate 9 News reported that the clash occurred before the Bondi attack began. CNN later confirmed that the shooting occurred about 25 meters from the bridge where the suspects were filmed firing.
The two bystanders were identified as Boris Gulman, 69, and his wife Sophia, 61, a Russian-Jewish couple who lived in Bondi. According to 9News, Gurman was shot dead in the attack, becoming the first victim of the rampage.
This video includes two dashcam angles of that moment. In the first photo, a man identified as Boris Gulman can be seen pulling the suspected attacker to the ground and taking the gun from him. The two men fall to the ground.
Gourmand is then seen standing up and holding a gun. A woman, identified as Sophia Gourman, stands nearby.
In a second angle, taken from a rear-facing dashcam as the car drives away, Boris Gulman can be seen running towards his attackers, holding a black object.
What appears to be an ISIS flag can also be seen on the hood of the attacker’s car.
The Gourmans have been widely hailed as heroes for intervening in the early stages of the attack and attempting to stop one of the gunmen, an act of bravery that cost them their lives.
In a statement, the couple’s family said their actions summed up who they are as “people who instinctively and selflessly sought to help others.”
“While nothing can alleviate the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we feel overwhelming pride for their courage and selflessness,” the family said, 9News reported.
The couple had planned to celebrate Sophia Gourman’s birthday and their 35th wedding anniversary in January.
“Boris was a former mechanic who was known for his generosity, quiet strength and willingness to help those in need. Sophia worked for Australia Post and was deeply loved by her colleagues and the community,” the family said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the Gurmans on Wednesday, saying: “They are Australian heroes.”
