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SYDNEY (AP) — The two Australians killed in a hostage incident in a Sydney cafe are being hailed for their courage following unconfirmed reports that both sacrificed themselves to save their fellow hostages.
Tori Johnson was the manager of the Lindt Chocolat Cafe where the 16-hour siege unfolded. According to Sydney's Catholic archbishop, the 34-year-old reportedly brought the siege to a head when he grabbed the hostage-taker's gun -- which then went off, killing him. He's being remembered as a selfless man who put others first.
Katrina Dawson was a mother of three. The 38-year-old lawyer is said to have been shielding a pregnant friend when she was hit. She was a highly-respected commercial lawyer who is being remembered by the New South Wales Bar Association as "one of our best and brightest."
Police aren't commenting on the actions of any individuals. They say what happened in the cafe is still under investigation.
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106-a-06-(Robert Denny, father of surviving hostage Harriette Denny, in interview)-"and a friend"-Robert Denny, the father of surviving cafe worker and hostage Harriette Denny, says his daughter is recovering from the ordeal. COURTESY: Australian Broadcasting Corporation ((mandatory on-air credit)) (16 Dec 2014)
<<CUT *106 (12/16/14)££ 00:06 "and a friend"
104-a-12-(Peter Manettas, former colleague of slain hostage Tori Johnson, in interview)-"his staff there"-Peter Manettas, a former colleague of slain hostage Tori Johnson, says Johnson always put himself out front. COURTESY: Australian Broadcasting Corporation ((mandatory on-air credit)) (16 Dec 2014)
<<CUT *104 (12/16/14)££ 00:12 "his staff there"
APPHOTO XRG153: Staff members from the Lindt Chocolat Cafe with their arms linked pay tribute to their colleague who lost his live during a siege at the popular coffee shop at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. The siege ended early Tuesday with a barrage of gunfire that left two hostages and the Iranian-born gunman dead, and a nation that has long prided itself on its peace rocked to its core. (AP Photo/Steve Christo) (16 Dec 2014)
<<APPHOTO XRG153 (12/16/14)££
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