Australian cafe siege hostage killed by ricocheted police bullets

[SYDNEY] A coronial inquest into the deaths of two hostages and a gunman during a siege at a Sydney cafe was told on Thursday that one of the hostages was killed by police bullets that ricocheted from hard surfaces when they stormed the cafe.

Jeremy Gormly, counsel assisting the New South Wales state coroner, said lawyer Katrina Dawson was struck by six fragments of a bullet, or bullets, with one striking a major blood vessel.

Gormly said the second hostage, Lindt Chocolat Cafe manager Tori Johnson, was shot in the back of the head by gunman Man Haron Monis after being forced to kneel. Monis was struck by several bullets to the head and body.

REUTERS