Hero husband Alex died saving his spouse of 5 many years, Larissa – as she relives the horrific second he was fatally gunned down in entrance of her within the Bondi Beach terrorist assault: ‘He tried to guard me’

Grandmother Larisa Kleytman was with her husband when he was shot dead while trying to protect her.

Two gunmen armed with a rifle and a shotgun opened fire near Bondi Pavilion, in Sydney‘s eastern suburbs, where a Jewish festival and children’s party were underway on Sunday afternoon. 

Married for five decades, Mrs Kleytman and husband Alex came from Matraville to celebrate Chanukah.

‘I think he was shot because he raised himself up to protect me, in the back of the head,’ she said.

‘I think he was shot because he raised himself up to protect me, in the back of the head,’she said.

Mrs Kletyman and her husband came to Australia from Ukraine and have two children and 11 grandchildren.

Englishman Finn was video-calling with family back in London.

‘I could hear fireworks going off – that’s what it sounded like, anyway,’ he said.

‘I told my mum I’d go have a look, almost show her the view, in a way, and the next thing you know I saw a white car, with a guy firing from his car, and I saw an older lady who was killed.’

At least 12 people have been confirmed dead at the scene, including children.

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman confirmed to Daily Mail that 25 patients have so far been transported to various hospitals around Sydney.

She said 40 units – including ambulances, intensive care specialists, and three helicopters are on the scene. The number of units are steadily increasing.

Witnesses said two men stepped out of a vehicle on Campbell Parade and opened fire about 6.40pm on Sunday with footage showing blast after blast on the tourist strip. Some witnesses report more than 30 shots.

Video and photos taken by a Daily Mail photographer show a gunman opening fire from an elevated bridge using a large rifle.

One gunman has been shot dead. The other one was also shot, and is now in custody.

A festival, Chanukah by the Sea, advertised as a night of family fun, was taking place, with children attending the event when the gunmen opened fire.

NSW Police are urging people to avoid the area, with an exclusion zone in place. 

It was also confirmed late on Sunday evening that a number of suspicious items had been found in the vicinity of the incident, including an improvised explosive device. 

The items are being examined by specialist officers. 

A witness told Daily Mail: ‘These men pulled over their car put a black flag with an emblem on the windshield then walked over the footbridge and started firing.’

Tim Hamilton was with friends in North Bondi when he thought he heard a car backfiring but ‘more violent than that, like a little bit louder’.

‘I stood up and looked over and then I just saw people on the beach running really fast away from that area, like the Bondi Pavilion but the north side of it,’ he told Daily Mail.

He added that people were hiding behind the concrete wall and running into the ocean to try and stay clear of the shooters.

Tim said he did not receive an emergency alert on his phone following the incident.

‘When we were walking home, we saw this guy who was up at Speedo Cafe, which is kind of near the North Bondi grass, and he was on the pavement bleeding.

‘That was quite far away from where the shooters were. So I think one of the bullets must have travelled quite far. There were people helping him.’

Families were evacuated from the beach at about 9pm, with parents holding emergency blankets over their children.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: ‘We are aware of an active security situation in Bondi.

‘We urge people in the vicinity to follow information from NSW Police.’

Police confirmed there have been no reports of any other incidents in Sydney connected to the incident, including Dover Heights, where a similar Chanukah event was expected to be held. 

‘Please do NOT share unconfirmed rumours,’ it said.