The Australian cop believed to have single-handedly taken down the Bondi Beach terrorists with a “once-in-a-lifetime shot” has been identified as a tie-wearing local detective who appeared on a reality TV show to say he became a cop because he “hates crime.”
Detective Senior Constable Cesar “Cess” Barraza has been hailed a hero after he was filmed hiding behind a tree and then opening fire on the two rifle-toting suspects from roughly 130 feet away during Sunday’s massacre.
Barraza, who was wearing a standard detective’s uniform of a shirt and tie, was only armed with a handgun at the time.
His shots are believed to have killed 50-year-old killer Sajid Akram and then injured his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, just moments later.
Barraza, who joined the force 16 years ago, was previously featured on the Australian reality TV show “Recruits” — a series that follows young officers starting their careers.
Asked on the show why he wanted to be a cop, Barraza quickly responded: “Because I hate crime.”
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The police veteran’s aim has widely been described by law enforcement as the shot of a lifetime, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Sources added that even the force’s best shooters would have struggled to hit a target from such a distance.
“The second shot has astounded firearms experts… they actually can’t believe it,” one source told the outlet.
Police are still examining ballistics to confirm if Barraza’s bullets were the ones to take down the terrorists.
The two suspects slaughtered 15 people in an antisemitic mass shooting targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at the famed beach.
Naveed Akram, the surviving suspect, was charged on Wednesday with 59 offenses, including 15 charges of murder, after waking from a coma in a Sydney hospital.
The charges include one count of murder for each fatality and one count of committing a terrorist act, police said.
Police said the Akrams’ car, which was found at the crime scene, contained improvised explosive devices and homemade ISIS flags.
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