Sydney siege inquest: Desperate final texts from victim Tori Johnson
IN THE final hours before his death, Sydney siege victim Tori Johnson sent some final text messages to family. They were heartbreaking.
THE final desperate text messages sent from Tori Johnson to loved ones right up until 30 minutes before he was executed have been revealed at the inquest into the deaths arising from the Sydney siege.
Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson was one of 18 people held hostage for 17 hours before he was shot at point blank range by gunman Man Haron Monis at 2.13am on December 16, 2014.
Police stormed the cafe 59 seconds later and killed Monis.
Mother and barrister Katrina Dawson was killed by a fragment of a police bullet in the crossfire.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Jenkins was police commander during the final hours of the siege but revelations that he was unaware of crucial information during his command continue to emerge as his testimony enters its third day.
Mr Jenkins this morning told the inquest he did not know that Mr Johnson had sent text messages to family members who immediately passed them onto police.
Barrister Michael O’Connell SC, counsel for Ms Dawson’s family, said Mr Johnson sent a text message to a family member at 10pm.
It read: “I love you all, I’m still alive, very scared.”
Mr Johnson sent another message at 1.43am, exactly 30 minutes before he was killed.
“At 1.43am, a text message was sent by Mr Johnson to his loved ones which was conveyed to police at 1.53am,” Mr O’Connell said.
Mr Johnson’s message read: “He’s (Monis) increasingly agitated, walks around when he hears a noise outside with a hostage in front of him. Wants to release one person in good faith, tell police.”
Mr Jenkins said he “wasn’t aware of that text message”.
“I was aware of a call to the (police) media unit that Monis was looking to release one hostage,” he said.
Mr Jenkins said he also wasn’t aware of calls and text messages sent by hostage Selina Win Pe over several hours about Monis’ threats to hurt the hostages until 45 minutes before the gunman killed Mr Johnson.
Mr Jenkins yesterday revealed he was in the dark about various pieces of crucial information during his command, including that he didn’t even have access to live footage during the siege despite most of Australia being able to view it from home.
He also revealed he didn’t have access to police logs and didn’t know the gunman fired a second gunshot before killing Mr Johnson until one and a half months ago, about 18 months after the siege.
Mr Jenkins is being quizzed over whether or not police should have acted sooner by storming the cafe before hostages were shot and killed.
The inquest continues.
More to come.