Dramatic new dashcam footage has revealed the final, heroic actions of a married couple who attempted to stop the gunman during the initial stages of the Bondi beach terror attack on Sunday.
A Courageous Confrontation Caught on Camera
The video, posted to the social media platform Rednote, captures the moment Boris Gurman, 69, tackled the shooter, Sajid Akram, on Campbell Parade in Sydney. Akram had just emerged from a car displaying an Islamic State flag on its windscreen.
In the footage, Boris, wearing a purple shirt, is seen pushing Akram onto the road and wrestling a firearm from his hands. His wife, Sofia Gurman, 61, was also involved in the desperate struggle. The clip was captured unexpectedly by a local resident's dashcam, who later shared it online with a tribute in Mandarin, writing: "Such civilian heroes shouldn't be forgotten."
Separate drone footage from after the altercation shows the couple lying motionless together on the footpath. They are among the 15 victims who lost their lives in Australia's worst mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
Family's Heartbreaking Tribute to 'The Heart of Our Family'
The couple have been formally identified by their heartbroken family, who provided a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald. "We are heartbroken by the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris and Sofia Gurman," the family said.
They revealed the couple had been married for 34 years, with their 35th anniversary due in January, and were preparing to celebrate Sofia's 62nd birthday on 17 December.
In their tribute, the family described Boris as a retired mechanic known for his "generosity and quiet strength," while Sofia worked at Australia Post and was "deeply loved by her colleagues and community."
"Bondi locals, together they lived honest, hardworking lives and treated everyone they met with kindness, warmth and respect," the statement continued. "They were the heart of our family, and their absence has left an immeasurable void."
The family expressed overwhelming pride in the couple's bravery, evident in the newly emerged footage. "This encapsulates who Boris and Sofia were – people who instinctively and selflessly tried to help others," they said.
Community Mourns and Further Heroism Revealed
On Tuesday afternoon, six of Sofia's colleagues from Australia Post visited Bondi Pavilion to pay their respects, arriving in uniform to lay white roses and a card. One colleague stated the video had made them realise "just how brave she and her husband was."
The attack, which began during a Hanukkah celebration, also left 38 people wounded. As of Tuesday afternoon, 24 victims, including two police officers, remained in hospital.
The Gurmans were not the only bystanders who intervened at great personal risk. Ahmed al-Ahmed was publicly thanked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and former US President Donald Trump after he ran towards Akram, leapt on him and wrestled the gun away. Al-Ahmed remains in a critical but stable condition in St George hospital after being shot four or five times in the shoulder.
Furthermore, the daughter of victim Reuven Morrison identified her father as the man seen hurling an object in the widely circulated footage. "He went down fighting, protecting the people he loved most," Sheina Gutnick told CBS News.
The alleged attacker, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police. His son, Naveed, remains in hospital under guard as investigations into the terror attack continue.
