AP Exclusive: Sydney hostage planned daring escape

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By NICK PERRY

SYDNEY (AP) — The siege at the Sydney cafe had been going on for more than five hours and 82-year-old John O'Brien had become convinced the gunman was insane and they would likely all end up dead.

And so he made a decision, one he knew came with a cost: he was going to try to escape.

O'Brien — a former professional tennis player who played at Wimbledon — looked at the gunman who was at the other end of the cafe, barricaded behind tables and chairs. The man had forced two or three young women to stand in front of him as human shields, so police snipers couldn't take shots at him.

O'Brien glanced up at Stefan Balafoutis, a lawyer, who was standing, as ordered, with his hands against the window. The younger man had his eyes closed.

FULL story at link.



John O'Brien, one of hostages of the Sydney cafe siege, poses for a photo as he relaxes in his front yard in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. O'Brien, 82, was the first hostage to escape the Lindt Chocolat Cafe after a gunman took 17 people hostage on Monday Dec. 15. Three people including the gunman were shot after police ended the siege at the coffee shop early Tuesday. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141217/as--australia-hostages_escape-217705a9c4.html

[oberliner]

1. Risked the lives of the other hostages to save his own skin

Understandable I guess, but not sure it's worthy of getting your picture in the paper.

[marions ghost]

2. Others escaped as well

and anyway OBrien doesn't call himself a hero. He calls Johnson a hero.

OBrien did what anyone in that situation would try to do--escape. I know I would rather die trying to escape than be shot without trying.

Everyone makes up their own minds in a situation like this. You can't judge. I admire the old Mr OBrien for trying and succeeding.

[sybylla]

3. Agreed.

I won't judge anyone in this position. Having worked at a bank that was robbed in the 80's, though not with me behind the counter, I got a close up look at what happens to people in this position. And none of them ended up in a hostage situation like this guy did.

[marions ghost]

4. Right

we'd be thinking differently if those who escaped were the ONLY survivors. And at the time they had no idea that would not be the case.

If people bothered to read the article they'd see that Mr OBrien acted with a lot of presence of mind.
I would likely not have that much of a plan and probably get shot trying. But I agree with trying to get away-- any way you can-- when dealing with deranged murderers.