Sydney siege inquest: Police officer who killed gunman describes Man Haron Monis’ final moments
THE police officer who killed Man Haron Monis locked eyes with the Sydney siege gunman before blowing a “chunk” out of his head.
THE police officer who shot dead Man Haron Monis has described how he locked eyes with the Lindt Cafe siege gunman moments before he opened fire and blew “a chunk” out of his head.
Officer A, who can’t be identified, today told the inquest into the deaths arising from the siege that tactical operations officers were ordered to storm the building after Monis fired a third shot within the cafe.
The emergency action plan was triggered when Monis executed cafe manager Tori Johnson at point blank range, at 2.13am on December 16, 2014.
“I remember the shield man proceeded to run in front of me (and I followed),” Officer A said.
“We were running as fast as we could to (the) front door. I heard shots going off, which I believe was from (another police) team who was attempting to breach the first window.
“I couldn’t be sure what was going on inside the cafe. I ensured I was close to the shield man.”
Officer A activated his light source and laser on his rifle.
“As soon as I looked in to the stronghold, I pointed my rifle into the stronghold where I was able to see,” he said.
“At that point I remember seeing Monis within the stronghold, standing towards the back of the cafe where I had seen him before. I remember pointing my light source and laser pointer in his direction.
“I remember him looking straight at us. I remember looking at him … waiting for the bleacher to breach the door. I remember the door was breached. I remember walking in through that door and I remember looking in at him and focusing on him.”
Officer A said Monis started shooting at police as they came through the door.
“Once through the door I had my light source and laser on Monis. I remember him standing facing my direction, slightly on an angle with his shotgun in front, probably a bit lower, pointing it in our direction. I remember as I moved forward, I started to fire at Monis, ensuring that my laser pointer was on his chest.
“I continued to engage as I walked forward. I never took my eyes off him. I continued to engage him in the chest, upper chest area. I remember he actually shot back at us again. I remember (because) I thought I was about to be shot. I then ensured my laser was still on Monis and continued to engage.”
But Monis was still standing upright and posing a threat, Officer A said. Officer A aimed his laser higher, to Monis’ head.
“I do remember moving my laser pointer to his head area where I engaged a number of times, can’t be sure of number,” he said.
‘I WATCHED HIS HEAD EXPLODE’
The first officer to storm the cafe, identified as Alpha Two, previously told the inquest said he saw Officer A’s laser sight travel up Monis’ body.
“I watched his head explode and he fell down,” Alpha Two said.
The first two Tactical Operations Unit members to enter the cafe — “Officer A” and “Officer B” — fired a total of 22 rounds at Monis. Officer A fired 17 rounds and Officer B fired five.
“Then he started to drop to the ground where I continued to engage him further times,” Officer A told the inquest.
“I continued to fire at him until he went to ground. And that’s when I stopped firing. At that point once I stopped firing.
“I remember covering him with my laser and light source to ensure I no longer deemed him to be a threat, that he wasn’t moving or in a position to hurt myself or other hostages.
“I walked forward, the whole time walking to Monis I had my laser and light source on him, in a position I was ready to engage.
“I’ve seen him on the ground, I assessed he was no longer going to be a threat. He was missing a big chunk of his head. I could see that (and formed the view that he was dead).”
Monis was killed after he was struck by four intact rounds.
Bullets from one of two rounds struck and killed hostage Katrina Dawson, who had been lying behind Monis.
She was found still alive, lying face down under tables and chairs in a corner of the cafe but died later.
Ms Dawson was killed after she sustained at least seven gunshot wounds. The inquest has previously heard that a total of 55 grains of bullet fragment were removed from her body.
Ms Dawson was struck in the right shoulder, right upper back, left shoulder, left upper back and neck area, upper back and neck area, and twice in the right side of the neck.
Some of the wounds contained copper fragments, confirming they were fired by Tactical Operations Unit officers’ weapons as the ammunition used by Monis did not contain copper. It has not been determined which officer fired the bullet which caused Ms Dawson’s death.
Officer A told the inquest how he had earlier looked through windows and saw some of the 18 hostages and the gunman moving around the cafe throughout the day.
He said he saw what appeared to be “leads” of a suspected bomb dangling from the hostage-taker’s backpack. Monis also spotted the police, he said.
“(We were ordered to) ‘get back’,” he said.
Counsel assisting Jeremy Gormly asked if Officer A was fatigued towards the end of the 17-hour siege.
“No … I believe I was more than up to the task,” Officer A said.
Officer A was positioned outside the cafe as Paolo Vassallo — one of the first hostages to escape — bolted from the cafe and ran towards TOU officers around 3.30pm.
“I remember him running out screaming words to the effect of: ‘you gotta go in there, he’s going to kill everyone’. That was only as he ran past me. I never engaged in conversation at that time (others handled him).”
“At one point I saw Monis walking around with (hostage) Louisa Hope with a shotgun to the back of her head.
“I also observed a younger guy … he was on the phone a lot in there … and a lady (of Asian appearance) walking around with a tray and appeared to be serving drinks to people which I thought was different at the time.”
Officer A told the inquest it would have been preferable if a deliberate action plan to storm the cafe was activated so police could have stormed the cafe at a time of their choosing.
The inquest continues.