A female barrister who died in the Sydney siege has been hailed a hero amid reports she was killed shielding her pregnant friend from gunfire.
Katrina Dawson died along with cafe manager Tori Johnson, who was praised for trying to grab the gun off hostage-taker Man Haron Monis at the end of the 16-hour siege.
Tributes were paid to the victims at a memorial service, as questions were raised over why the self-styled sheikh had been granted bail after a string of alleged sex attacks and involvement in a murder.
As Sydney struggled to come to terms with the shock of the siege, a video also emerged showing some of the hostages inside the cafe, filmed by their captor.
In the video, uploaded by the gunman, three hostages are pictured describing demands made by the gunman - including that he be brought an Islamic State flag.
Television news footage also emerged of the moment when a TV reporter broke down in tears live on air as she read out the name of Ms Dawson - realising that she knew her.
Huge piles of flowers were laid outside the Lindt café in Sydney's financial district, as more details about the victims and the gunman began to emerge.
Local resident Chloe Jean Sweetman told Sky News: "There's a lot of sadness, and a bit of a dull energy around today.
"There's been a lot of coming together of religions, and working towards the greater goal of being one in the situation."
At a prayer service in St Mary's Cathedral about 500 metres from the cafe, Archbishop Anthony Fisher spoke of how the "heart of our city is broken by the deaths of two innocents".
"Reports have emerged this morning of the heroism of the male victim of this siege," Archbishop Fisher said.
"Apparently seeing an opportunity Tori Johnson grabbed the gun - tragically it went off killing him.
"But it triggered the response of the police and eventual freedom for most of the hostages.
"Reports have also emerged that Katrina Dawson was shielding her pregnant friend from gunfire. These heroes were willing to lay down their lives so others might live."
Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn could not confirm reports of Mr Johnson's tussle with the gunman, adding that investigators were still compiling the chain of events that led to the siege ending.
But the police chief admitted that Monis, 50, had a "serious history of criminal offences and a history of violence".
"This was a man that we do believe had some extremist views and we also believe that he was unstable," she added.
Questions have been raised as to why Monis was on bail at all - after it emerged he was accused of a string of sex attacks and implicated in a murder.
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Gallery: Sydney Mourns Cafe Siege Victims
Women comfort each other in Martin Place, near to the scene
Hundreds of bouquets of flowers were laid
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