Australia was reeling Tuesday after new footage emerged from the opening moments of the antisemitic terror attack in Sydney, revealing that before the two terrorists began the shooting spree that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration near Bondi Beach, an elderly Jewish couple tried to stop them with their bare hands.
Australian media identified the couple as Boris and Sofia Gurman, Jewish immigrants of Russian origin, who were walking past the scene when they noticed a car bearing an ISIS flag pull to a stop. A third victim, Edith Brutman, was also identified.
Boris Gurman fights the terrorist and briefly disarms him
(Video: ABC)
According to investigators, the couple confronted Sajid Akram, the 50-year-old attacker, moments after he exited the vehicle. They were later shot and killed at point-blank range, reportedly while holding one another. They were the first victims of the terror attack.
The mass shooting took place Sunday evening during a ‘Hanukkah on the Beach’ event organized by Chabad-Lubavitch near Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. About 1,000 people, including families and children, were attending when Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire from a nearby pedestrian bridge using four rifles legally purchased by the father.
Police said the terror attack began at about 6:40 p.m. local time and ended eight minutes later when officers neutralized the attackers. Sajid Akram was killed at the scene. His son was critically wounded and is being treated under heavy guard in hospital. Authorities later found ISIS flags and improvised explosive devices inside their vehicle.
Among the 15 victims were a 10-year-old girl, Matilda Britvan, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a Chabad emissary who helped organize the event; Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, whose wife said he was killed while trying to shield her; and Dan Elkayam, a 27-year-old French Jewish citizen who had immigrated to Sydney about a year ago. More than 40 people were injured, including 26 who remain hospitalized, 12 in critical condition.
In recent days, stories of civilian heroism have emerged. One widely circulated video showed Ahmed al Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim immigrant, tackling and disarming one of the terrorists before being shot multiple times. He remains hospitalized and may lose an arm. More than $1.5 million has been raised for him through GoFundMe.
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Ahmed al Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim immigrant, who tackled and disarmed one of the terrorists
But the footage released Tuesday revealed another act of bravery that ended tragically.
Captured by a passing vehicle’s dash camera, the video shows Boris Gurman, 69, struggling with Sajid Akram while his wife Sofia, 62, stands beside him. At one point, Boris appears to seize the terrorist’s weapon and strike him with it. Later drone footage shows the couple lying lifeless on the ground, Sofia embracing Boris. According to the BBC, Sajid Akram likely retrieved a second rifle and shot them at close range.
Boris, a retired mechanic, and Sofia, who worked for Australia Post, had been married for 34 years. Their family said they acted without hesitation.
“Nothing can ease the pain of losing Boris and Sofia,” relatives said in a statement. “But we feel immense pride in their courage and selflessness. They acted on instinct, without thinking of themselves.”
Another victim who died trying to stop the attack was Reuben Morrison, 62, a Chabad community member who immigrated from the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Video shows him throwing objects at Sajid Akram in an attempt to distract him. His daughter said friends later told her, “Your father saved us. He reduced the shooting and drew the terrorists away.”
Meanwhile, serious questions are being raised about the attackers’ background and whether warning signs were missed.
Australian authorities confirmed the attack was inspired by Islamic State ideology. Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said investigators found ISIS flags in the vehicle and evidence of coordination. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said officials believe the attackers were motivated by extremist ideology, though they did not act as part of a broader cell.
Minute by minute of the Sydney terror attack
New reports indicate the father and son spent nearly a month in the Philippines in November, traveling to Davao on the island of Mindanao, a region long associated with Islamist insurgent groups. Investigators are examining whether they received military-style training there and whether they were linked to an international jihadist network. Australian media also reported the pair may have prepared a manifesto, though no physical copy has been found.
The younger attacker, Naveed Akram, had previously been investigated by Australia’s domestic intelligence agency in 2019 over suspected ties to extremist figures. One of them was Isaak al-Mattari, who styled himself as the ‘ISIS commander of Australia’ before being arrested that year and later sentenced to seven years in prison. Officials said no evidence of radicalization was found at the time, though authorities now say that assessment later changed.
Australian leaders have pledged to tighten gun laws further after it emerged that Sajid Akram legally amassed multiple weapons. Mass shootings have been rare in Australia since sweeping reforms following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
As Australia mourns, thousands have visited makeshift memorials at Bondi Beach. Blood donation centers reported record signups nationwide. The Israeli ambassador to Australia said the Jewish community was shattered by the attack, calling it an assault on both Australian and Jewish values.
“The terrorists sought to divide us,” Albanese said after visiting injured victims. “They will fail. We will stand together.”