Multiple police sources have told Fairfax media that Sydney siege victim Katrina Dawson, barrister and mother-of-three, was shot by a police bullet when police stormed the Lindt Café in the early hours of 16 December.
Katrina Dawson
For a touching post about Katrina’s family, click here.
The raid was triggered after gunman Man Haron Monis executed one of the hostages, café manager Tori Johnson at close range.
Monis was killed in the police shoot out and three women also received gunshot wounds. Police sources now say that Katrina Dawson was also killed at this time.
The SMH reports that the victims were taken to separate hospitals so the police investigation into the incident would not be compromised.
Katrina Dawson’s death will be investigated by the NSW Coroner, once the police investigation is complete.
Spokespeople for police and the NSW Police Minister have chosen to make no comment on the leaked investigation findings, saying that they will await the outcome of the official police investigation.
A spokesman for Police Minister Stuart Ayres told the SMH: “The minister will be making no comment whilst there is a critical incident investigation taking place.”
Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the , has written to Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove asking for his assistance in recognising the heroism displayed by Katrina, and other Siege victims, through bravery awards. He said, “as you would be aware, there are already reports of brave actions by Mr Tori Johnson and Ms Katrina Dawson, both of whom were tragically killed.
“I respectfully ask for your support in ensuring the (Bravery Decorations) Council gives proper consideration to the actions of those involved in this tragic event.
“There may well be other significant acts by surviving hostages, police and others involved that are worthy of recognition”.
Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson were held hostage with 16 others in the Lindt Café by Monis for 16 hours.
Twelve hostages managed to escape before police officers from the Tactical Operations Unit broke into the café after a sniper indicated a hostage had been shot.
Katrina Dawson was a Sydney barrister and mother-of-three – two girls and a boy. The youngest child, a girl, is just four years old.
Ms Dawson worked at Selborne chambers on Phillip Street in Sydney’s CBD, just a minutes’ walk from the Lindt cafe. She was getting a coffee with her work colleague at the time of the siege.
At the time of her death, her family released a statement which said, “We are shocked and devastated by the tragic and senseless death of our darling Katrina.
“She was an amazing woman and the most loving and loved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, in-law and blessed with a wonderful circle of friends and colleagues.”
Her husband, Paul, said at her memorial, “her love for her children was limitless.” He especially wanted their children to know that their mother would have only been thinking of them as the horror of the siege unfolded.”I doubt she would have laid down her life for Julie although we were all worried for Julie and her unborn child,” Paul said, referring to reports Katrina was killed defending her pregnant friend, Julie Taylor.
Top Comments
Snipers can fire through toughened glass with extreme precision up to a 45 degree angle, there are well documented studies from 20 years ago which all special forces know well http://dtic.mil/dtic/tr/ful.... Tandem fire is also used where one sniper shoots out the glass a split second before the kill shot of a second sniper. Next... A dead man switch to an explosives backpack was feared, so after 16hrs some 12 special forces personnel were sent in rather than have the gunman taken out by a clean sniper shot??? Not buying...
A news reporter is allowed to accompany a sniper for the duration of the siege? Only one privileged special civilian person is granted leave to stay in the danger zone. For someone with a supposed birdseye view the story kept changing wildly! Oh & cut the crap about being needed by the special forces... Really??
Once a handful of officers finally entered the building THEN one of their colleagues lobbed in a bunch of stun grenades?? Well if they were NOT training grenades then all his mates would have been knocked out & useless. Then we proceed to be treated to a full 20 seconds of automatic gunfire which can only have come from security forces as the gunman was only allegedly armed with a pump action shotgun. IF the security forces were firing anything other than blanks then this would be the most brain dead attempt at a rescue EVER! Fortunately since not all the remaining hostages were killed alongside all the security forces either from the building collapse due to the walls being completely shot away or ricocheting bullets from the earlier mentioned toughened glass it can be concluded that for everyone's safety this was a made for TV scene using blanks...
Islam has plenty of issues needing to be addressed but this home grown hoax event made to support the government fear campaign to have us surrendering ALL freedom IS NOT one of those issues. Islam is innocent of this one.
I'm so glad we have a functioning democracy and news of this kind can become public.
I was afraid there would be a cover up.
I think its very important that we know this. I hope there will be an investigation and some soul searching by the police about how they responded to this situation and if they could have acted differently. Its far from the first time such a thing has happened...
I hope Katrina's family can eventually find peace in their hearts, despite this tragic news.