Jerry Sourian found not guilty to using an offensive weapon and threatening police at Hornsby Mall

VIDEO footage of the dramatic moments when a police officer shot a man who lunged towards her with a knife in Sydney has been released. WARNING: Graphic

VIDEO footage of the dramatic moments when a police officer shot a knife-wielding man in Hornsby Mall last year was played in court today and released to The Hornsby Advocate this afternoon.

Jerry Sourian, who was on day leave from a mental health unit at the time, was found not guilty of using an offensive weapon, and threatening police with a knife at Hornsby Mall in June 2016, due to mental illness.

Judge Leonie Flannery found Mr Sourian, who was 23 at the time of the incident, not guilty by reason of mental illness saying he had an established history of psychosis and had told doctors he didn’t want to hurt anyone but wanted to commit suicide.

The moment senior constable Kate Gough shot Jerry Sourian after he lunged towards her with a knife in Hornsby Mall.

Mr Sourian’s family had taken him out of Hornsby Hospital, on one hour’s leave, despite him being an involuntary category three patient there. While in the care of his mother, father and sister he absconded, on Palmerston Rd in Hornsby.

The family returned to the hospital and told staff: “Jerry has just run off, he told me he would go to police with a knife so that they would shoot him”.

Mr Sourian suffered delusions and perceived the environment of Hornsby Hospital as a threat to his life and was reluctant to return there.

Police and ambulance crews at the scene, where Mr Sourian and three bystanders were shot last year. Photo: Adam Ward

Mr Sourian entered Hornsby Mall at 11.42am, walked to the entrance of the centre and removed his socks, then walked north and south until about 11.45am when he removed a knife from under his jumper.

About 11.46am calls to 000 were being made by people in the mall and leading senior constable Kate Gough and her partner, who were attending to other duties at Westfield, were told by people in the mall: “You may want to go look at the guy wandering through the mall with a knife”.

Police guard evidence at the crime scene at Hornsby Westfield. Picture: Troy Snook

At 11.49am Const. Gough asked Mr Sourian ‘how are you doing?’, while he was facing her holding a large silver knife about 3-4 metres away with a “glazed expression” and a “small grin”.

The court was told she told him to drop the knife and he said: “I’m going to run at you with this knife”. She said: “No you’re not, drop the knife”. He then held the knife at waist height and ran at her. As he got within 1-2 metres she shot twice and he continued running and diverted left past her.

Const. Gough then said “get to the ground” as he had stopped a few metres past her. He began walking back towards her and she had her gun raised.

Television footage of the incident in Hornsby Mall.

He came to within 3-4 metres again before running with the knife in his hand and she fired again. He dropped to the ground and was heard to say: “I didn’t mean to do it, I just wanted to commit suicide”.

In the ambulance on the way to hospital, he allegedly asked the paramedic if he would give him an overdose of morphine and asked if everybody was okay.

Sourian had at least three prior admissions to Hornsby Hospital and doctors had found he suffered a chronic form of schizophrenia with a delusional belief that he was in danger and people planned to murder him. One doctor also found he had an underlying cannabis use disorder.

The knife and bullets marked by the forensic police in the mall of Westfield Hornsby. Pic: Stephen Cooper

Mr Sourian was taken to the Henley locked unit at Macquarie Hospital and will remain there until September 21, when it will be determined if he is released or becomes a forensic patient.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.

Originally published as Jerry Sourian found not guilty to using an offensive weapon and threatening police at Hornsby Mall