Couple Bravely Confronted Shooter—and Were First to Die

The bystander shot multiple times after wrestling a weapon from a gunman in Australia wasn't the only victim whose heroism was on display. Dashcam video from Sunday's Bondi Beach attack shows an older couple confronting a gunman and seizing his weapon moments before they were fatally shot, according to Australian media and the family of the victims. The footage shows 69-year-old retired mechanic Boris Gurman grappling with 50-year-old Sajid Akram near a vehicle carrying an an Islamic State flag, per the Guardian. Gurman manages to pull the gun away before appearing to strike the attacker with the weapon. The assailant allegedly then retrieved a second gun and killed Gurman and his wife, 61-year-old postal worker Sofia Gurman, per the BBC.

The couple, who were Jewish and long-time Bondi residents, were the first people killed in Sunday's attack, which occurred during a Hanukkah event and left at least 15 dead and dozens injured, per the BBC. In a statement, the Gurman family said they were "heartbroken" but proud of the pair's "bravery and selflessness." Weeks away from their 35th wedding anniversary, they were "people who instinctively and selflessly tried to help others." Witnesses quoted by Reuters and 9News called Boris a "hero" who ran toward gunfire to try to disarm the attacker. "He did not run away," said the owner of the dashcam footage. "He charged straight toward the danger."

Another man killed in the attack, 62-year-old Reuven Morrison, was seen in footage throwing bricks at one of the gunmen, his daughter tells CBS News. "If there was one way for him to go on this earth, it would be fighting a terrorist," said Sheina Gutnick. Police have labeled the shooting a terrorist act aimed at the Jewish community. Victims range in age from 10 to 87 and include a child, a British-born rabbi, a retired police officer, and a Holocaust survivor. Authorities say the alleged attackers were Akram, who died at the scene, and his 24-year-old son, Naveed, now conscious in the hospital. Investigators say the pair appeared inspired by Islamic State ideology and had recently traveled to the Philippines, where unconfirmed reports suggest they may have received "military-style" training.