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‘Kneel down and put your hands on your head': the last minutes of the Sydney siege and Tori Johnson's life ‘Kneel down and put your hands on your head': the last minutes of the Sydney siege and Tori Johnson's life
(5 months later)
About 2am, once the third group of hostages had fled, with police coiling more tightly around the cafe, Man Haron Monis knew it was the last stand.About 2am, once the third group of hostages had fled, with police coiling more tightly around the cafe, Man Haron Monis knew it was the last stand.
Earlier he had chosen to surround himself with the pregnant women. Now, as his human shields, he chose Louisa Hope and her 72-year-old mother Robin.Earlier he had chosen to surround himself with the pregnant women. Now, as his human shields, he chose Louisa Hope and her 72-year-old mother Robin.
Related: Sydney siege hostage Tori Johnson had chances to escape, inquest told
“He had positioned mum and I very close next to him, on either side of him,” Hope told the inquest into the December 2014 siege on Thursday. “Keep your eyes closed and you won’t get hurt. Keep your eyes closed. He kept repeating that to us.”“He had positioned mum and I very close next to him, on either side of him,” Hope told the inquest into the December 2014 siege on Thursday. “Keep your eyes closed and you won’t get hurt. Keep your eyes closed. He kept repeating that to us.”
With his sawn-off shotgun Monis gestured at Tori Johnson, the man he called “manager”, who he had singled out for special antipathy. “He called Tori, ‘You, come over here’. And he was indicating with his gun again and he said, ‘You, kneel down and put your hands on your head’,” Hope recalled.With his sawn-off shotgun Monis gestured at Tori Johnson, the man he called “manager”, who he had singled out for special antipathy. “He called Tori, ‘You, come over here’. And he was indicating with his gun again and he said, ‘You, kneel down and put your hands on your head’,” Hope recalled.
Johnson could have escaped minutes earlier, she said. Monis had briefly left the main room of the cafe. Hope was sitting next to Johnson and her mother, “eyes closed and my mind focused in prayer” when she heard a loud bang, the ruckus of six hostages escaping. “I opened my eyes and realised everyone was gone,” she said.Johnson could have escaped minutes earlier, she said. Monis had briefly left the main room of the cafe. Hope was sitting next to Johnson and her mother, “eyes closed and my mind focused in prayer” when she heard a loud bang, the ruckus of six hostages escaping. “I opened my eyes and realised everyone was gone,” she said.
“I went, right, we’re going, we’re getting out immediately.” Hope, who has multiple sclerosis, rushed with her cane towards the exit.“I went, right, we’re going, we’re getting out immediately.” Hope, who has multiple sclerosis, rushed with her cane towards the exit.
But Johnson and Hope’s mother remained fixed to the bench. Hope said she willed them to join her, to flee. She said her mother told her later she had been elbowing Johnson, knocking him, saying “You go, you go, Tori.”But Johnson and Hope’s mother remained fixed to the bench. Hope said she willed them to join her, to flee. She said her mother told her later she had been elbowing Johnson, knocking him, saying “You go, you go, Tori.”
Related: Sydney siege inquest: Monis a ‘terrible mix’ of disorders and violent beliefs
“And Tori said, ‘No. I’ll stay. I’ll stay.’”“And Tori said, ‘No. I’ll stay. I’ll stay.’”
Now he was kneeling before the gunman, who was carefully moving his gun left and right, “scanning the front of the cafe, as if waiting for the police to come”.Now he was kneeling before the gunman, who was carefully moving his gun left and right, “scanning the front of the cafe, as if waiting for the police to come”.
Monis then embarked on what Hope likened to a “ritual”. “He started to breathe heavier … he was psyching himself up. He was shuffling the gun on his shoulder and up close to his face, as if preparing himself.Monis then embarked on what Hope likened to a “ritual”. “He started to breathe heavier … he was psyching himself up. He was shuffling the gun on his shoulder and up close to his face, as if preparing himself.
“He went through the process again of puffing and huffing and shaking his shoulder, almost like an athlete in preparation for event … And that went on for a few seconds, minutes.”“He went through the process again of puffing and huffing and shaking his shoulder, almost like an athlete in preparation for event … And that went on for a few seconds, minutes.”
Johnson had been crying, Hope said, but now he was silent, “composed”.Johnson had been crying, Hope said, but now he was silent, “composed”.
“And then he shot Tori,” she said.“And then he shot Tori,” she said.
“I felt the gun shot because [Monis] sort of bounced back a bit … And Tori fell forward with his hands still at his head.”“I felt the gun shot because [Monis] sort of bounced back a bit … And Tori fell forward with his hands still at his head.”
A police sniper in the Channel 7 building saw the shot. Still, Hope said, a stretch of silence followed. “There were minutes. And Monis sort of shook himself down a little bit, like an adjustment somehow, physically.”A police sniper in the Channel 7 building saw the shot. Still, Hope said, a stretch of silence followed. “There were minutes. And Monis sort of shook himself down a little bit, like an adjustment somehow, physically.”
“Did he say anything?” counsel assisting, Jeremy Gormly, SC, asked.“Did he say anything?” counsel assisting, Jeremy Gormly, SC, asked.
“Not a thing,” she replied. Only, “Keep your eyes closed and you won’t get hurt.”“Not a thing,” she replied. Only, “Keep your eyes closed and you won’t get hurt.”
Related: Sydney siege hostage heard 'frightened cry for help' before Tori Johnson shot
What followed was a cacophony of sound and light, starting with “a very loud noise”. “It started to become very bright in the room and lots of colours and noises and then – then it was all on,” she said.What followed was a cacophony of sound and light, starting with “a very loud noise”. “It started to become very bright in the room and lots of colours and noises and then – then it was all on,” she said.
Footage played to the inquest showed heavily armed police storming the building, firing repeatedly at the gunman, injuring Hope and killing another hostage, Katrina Dawson, in the process.Footage played to the inquest showed heavily armed police storming the building, firing repeatedly at the gunman, injuring Hope and killing another hostage, Katrina Dawson, in the process.
Hope was asked whether she remembered hearing another gun shot, other than the one that killed Johnson, before police breached the doors.Hope was asked whether she remembered hearing another gun shot, other than the one that killed Johnson, before police breached the doors.
“I know that somewhere in my head there is another shot, but I can’t tell you where it is right now,” she said.“I know that somewhere in my head there is another shot, but I can’t tell you where it is right now,” she said.
“I’m sorry. When I think about Tori it fills my heart and my head.”“I’m sorry. When I think about Tori it fills my heart and my head.”
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.