Couple in dashcam footage who tried to fight off Bondi shooter identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman | Bondi beach terror attack

Dramatic footage has emerged of two victims trying to stop a gunman in the early stages of a terror attack on Bondi beach on Sunday.

After their families testified, the couple was identified as 69-year-old Boris Gurman and 61-year-old Sofia Gurman. Sydney Morning Herald.

“We are heartbroken over the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris and Sofia Gurman,” the family said.

“They had been married for 34 years and their 35th wedding anniversary was approaching in January. We were looking forward to celebrating Sofia’s 62nd birthday on Wednesday, December 17.”

Dashcam footage published on Chinese social media platform Rednote shows the moment Boris, wearing a purple shirt, tackles hitman Sajid Akram, who emerges from his car with an Islamic State flag draped over its windshield at Campbell Parade in Bondi.

Boris pushes Akram onto the road and appears to struggle with the gun in his hand. Sofia was also involved in the conflict.

The footage was posted on social media by a Sydney resident who unexpectedly caught the incident on his front camera. “Civilian heroes like this should not be forgotten,” he wrote in Mandarin on the post. “I’m truly heartbroken.”

Later, in separate images taken with a drone, the couple is seen lying motionless together on the pavement.

“Boris was a retired mechanic known for his generosity, quiet strength and willingness to help anyone in need. Sofia worked for Australia Post and was deeply loved by her colleagues and the community,” the couple’s family said.

“The people of Bondi lived honest, hard-working lives together and treated everyone they met with kindness, warmth and respect. Boris and Sofia were devoted to their family and each other. They were the heart of our family and their absence has left an invaluable void.”

The family also paid tribute to them for their courage in the face of terrorism.

“In recent days, we have become aware of images showing Boris next to Sofia, bravely trying to disarm an attacker in order to protect others,” the family said.

“While nothing can lessen the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we are immensely proud of their courage and dedication. This sums up who Boris and Sofia are: people who instinctively and selflessly seek to help others.”

“We are deeply grateful for the love, compassion and support shown to our family during this unimaginable time. We ask for privacy as we grieve.”

The couple are among the 15 victims of the Bondi beach terror attack.

Many of the victims were attending the first day of Hanukkah celebrations when the attack began. The attack was the biggest mass shooting in Australia since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 38 more people were injured and 24 people, including two police officers, remained hospitalized.

On Tuesday afternoon, six of Sofia’s colleagues from Australia Post joined the Bondi Pavilion to pay tribute to their friend. One Australia Post employee, who asked not to be named, worked with him for years. They all came in uniform and left a white rose and a card.

“This is so tragic and seeing this video made us realize how brave she and her husband are,” a colleague of Sofia’s said.

The surrounding people who stepped into the danger line to stop the armed people during the attack received great applause.

These include Ahmed al-Ahmed, who was thanked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump, who ran towards Akram, jumped on him and took the gun from his hand.

Ahmed remains in a critical but stable condition at Sydney’s St George hospital after he was shot four to five times in the shoulder during the fight, his family said.

The victim’s daughter, Reuven Morrison, identified her father as the man seen throwing an object in the same widely circulated footage.

“If there was one way for him to go through this world, it would be to fight a terrorist. There was no other way to take him from us. He died fighting, protecting the people he loved most,” Sheina Gutnick told CBS News on Tuesday.

While Sajid Akram was shot dead by the police, his son Naveed is being kept under surveillance in the hospital.