A police officer who was severely injured in an incident at Bondi Beach is now out of a medically induced coma, according to his family. Constable Scott Dyson was one of two officers critically injured in a shooting while confronting two gunmen at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on December 14. The 25-year-old underwent frequent surgeries during his recovery process.
The alleged gunman, Naveed Akram, 24, along with his father Sajid, 50, who was shot and killed by police at the scene, reportedly opened fire on a crowd of over 1,000 people at Sydney’s Archer Park. The attack resulted in the death of 15 individuals, including a 10-year-old girl, and left many others injured.
In a recent statement, Dyson’s family mentioned that he has been showing improvement each day and was recently brought out of the coma for the first time. Despite a long road to recovery ahead, this development is seen as a positive step. The family expressed gratitude for the support and well wishes received during this challenging period.
Another young officer, Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert, 22, who lost vision in one eye after being shot during the same incident, has been discharged from the hospital. Ahmed al Ahmed, hailed as a hero for disarming one of the gunmen, also sustained multiple gunshot wounds and is currently recuperating in the hospital.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labeled the attack as an act of antisemitism and terrorism, vowing to enhance gun laws in the country. He mentioned that evidence suggests the attack may have been influenced by Islamic State (IS), given the discovery of related flags in the shooters’ vehicle.
As per New South Wales Health, 12 patients are still under medical care following the attack, with four in a stable but critical condition. Naveed Akram faces multiple charges, including 15 counts of murder, one terrorism charge, and several other serious offenses.
Having emerged from the coma, Akram was moved from the hospital to prison and is scheduled to appear in court in the upcoming year. The tragic incident, regarded as Australia’s worst in nearly thirty years, has sparked global condemnation and led to governmental initiatives to tighten gun laws and hate-speech regulations in the country.