A 14-year-old girl bravely took a bullet to her thigh as she shielded two toddlers from the gunfire that rained down on crowds at Bondi Beach.
The teenager, who can’t be named for legal reasons, leapt into action without thinking twice when the alleged father and son gunmen opened fire on Sunday.
“She heard a mum crying out for help after she was shot, and without thinking twice, she went to cover them and received a bullet,” family friend Dovid Leider told 9News.
The girl has since recovered in hospital.
Leider, who has flown from Los Angeles to Sydney to show his support, said she is “always caring about other people before herself”.
Sydneysiders returned to Bondi Beach today as police finally lifted the crime scene tape.
Dozens of people walked and examined Archer Park and the footbridge that the alleged gunmen used, and swimmers returned to the water.
An elderly couple, who were captured on video ducking behind cans just metres away from one of the gunmen, returned to the site.
“When I’m standing here today, and I see just how close we were to that footbridge, I’m just shocked,” Benyomin Simons said.
They managed to stay out of sight and found an empty van to hide inside.
“My wife saw this van, and the door was wide open, with nobody in it and went into this camper van and closed the door,” Simons said.
Survivor Arsen Ostrovsky was swathed in bloodied bandages after being shot on Sunday and today said it was a “miracle” he survived.
“The bullet grazed my head, you could see the bone,” he said.
More people have been discharged from hospitals across Sydney, including all the children who were injured.
Sixteen people remained in hospital as of 4pm today, five in critical condition and 11 who are stable.