Bondi Beach hero police officer 'killed shooter with once-in-a-lifetime shot' while behind tree
The police officer reportedly made an incredible 40-metre shot to kill Sajid Akram during the attack
A heroic detective reportedly killed one of the Bondi Beach terrorists with a "once in a lifetime shot" while moving out from behind a tree.
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According to reports, footage shows a brave officer edging towards Sajid Akram, 50, during the massacre before appearing to fire the fatal shot from an astonishing 40 metres away.
The officer who reportedly made the shot is understood to be a detective with 15 years of experience in law enforcement, according to Australian outlet the Daily Telegraph.
The elder Akram was killed at the scene and Naveed remains in hospital under police guard.
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In extraordinary footage, the officer can be seen approaching the rifle-touting assailants from behind a tree before letting off a series of shots.
One appeared to hit the elder shooter, who dropped to the ground before his son left cover to return fire.
The attack has been declared a terrorist incident targeting a Hanukkah celebration at a park next to the beach on the first day of the Jewish festival of lights, also known as Chanukah, the force confirmed.
As of late Monday afternoon, 27 people were receiving care in hospitals across Sydney, NSW Health said.
Six people remain in critical conditions with the others in serious and stable conditions, while police believe the ages of the dead range from 10 to 87.
Two police officers who were injured remain in serious but stable condition.
The heroic account came after an eyewitness to the terror attack told LBC how he sprang into action as the two gunmen unleashed on innocent bystanders.
Tommy, a British man living in Sydney, told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast he was having a barbecue on the popular beach when sprang into action as two gunmen opened fire on the Archer Park area at 6.47pm local time from a nearby bridge.
He said hundreds starting fleeing as people screamed "there's shooters". Tommy told his girlfriend to wait in the car as he went to "suss out" what was going on.
“I ran in the direction of the gunshots. As I arrived I saw lots of commotion happening on that bridge," he told Nick.
He added: “At that point there were only about two or three police officers there. It was literally just like a carnage scene.
“Everyone was fighting and screaming. The police were pushing the people.
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Tommy revealed how furious witnesses tried to attack the gunman as they were hurled into a police van.
He told Nick: “I wasn’t actually aware in that moment that I’d run into the gunmen themselves and I think they had just been shot and people were trying to attack them and get them.
“The police were trying to push people away and from what I learned later on they were trying to resuscitate one of them.”
Tommy revealed how he then saw people getting loaded into the back of a police van, whom he later learned were the gunmen.
“There were a few locals who were absolutely furiously trying to get into the van, ,hit the van. The window got smashed.”
He added that the police officers who were there were also “completely breaking down.”
“The police lady was having a panic attack and holding onto the side of the van. She started punching the van in anger herself. It was just horrific,” Tommy said.
He added: "I walked into what could only be described as a horror movie... All I can say is that were dead people everywhere. There were bodies everywhere. There were so many bodies and not enough people trying to help."