Dashcam Footage Captures Couple Confronting a Suspected Bondi Beach Gunman
Boris and Sofia Gurman, who had been residents of Bondi for many years, were set to commemorate their 35th wedding anniversary in January. However, on Sunday, tragedy struck as they were fatally injured on a road adjacent to Bondi Beach while attempting to intervene with one of the alleged shooters linked to the incident at a Hanukkah gathering. The couple’s courage, along with that of others who faced the assailants, has provided Australians with poignant insights into the reactions of everyday citizens during the shooting. The Gurmans were located on Campbell Parade, a thoroughfare not far from Bondi Beach, when one of the suspects appeared from a silver vehicle parked near a footbridge leading to the beach. Dashcam footage recorded by a passing vehicle and confirmed by The New York Times shows the couple challenging him. Mr. Gurman struggled with the individual, managing to take what seems to be a firearm from him and forcing him to the ground. He then squared off against the suspect with his wife by his side, as bystanders sought refuge at a nearby bus stop. The couple lost their lives. The precise details of their deaths remain unclear, yet subsequent footage revealed a man and woman lying still on the ground. A family friend and Australian news reports confirmed their identities on Tuesday. Mr. Gurman, aged 69, and his wife, aged 61, had deep roots in the area, as noted on a fundraiser page established on GoFundMe for their son, Alex Gurman. As of Tuesday evening local time, more than $140,000 Australian dollars, approximately $93,000, had been collected on the page, which was authenticated by the platform. “They embodied deep kindness, quiet strength, and unwavering concern for others,” stated the page, emphasizing their devotion to their family and to one another. Their last moments were spent trying to safeguard others, the page remarked. “This display of bravery and self-sacrifice truly represents who they were: individuals who instinctively chose to assist, even at significant personal peril,” it mentioned. The Gurmans migrated to Australia in 1993 from Novograd Volynsky, currently recognized as Zviahel, in Ukraine, according to Vsevolod Mytsyk, a counsellor at the Ukrainian Embassy in Australia. Mr. Gurman had retired from his career as a mechanic, while Ms. Gurman was employed by Australia Post, as outlined in a family statement shared with the Australian press. “They were the core of our family,” the statement expressed, adding that the video depicted them “bravely attempting to disarm an assailant in an effort to shield others.” “Although nothing can alleviate the sorrow of losing Boris and Sofia, we are filled with an immense sense of pride in their bravery and selflessness,” the statement concluded.
Published: 2025-12-18 05:34:00
source: www.nytimes.com
