Terrified Witnesses Describe Harrowing Escape from Gunman: 'We Took Refuge Under a Van

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As the haunting tales of the Bondi mass shooting continue to unfold, stories of both fear and bravery have captured the public’s attention. The devastating incident has tragically taken the lives of 15 innocent people.

Witnesses at the scene have shared remarkable accounts of courage, describing how bystanders rushed towards the chaos to offer assistance. In some instances, they used surfboards to carry the injured when paramedics exhausted their supply of stretchers.

Among those caught in the terrifying ordeal was Australian fashion designer Pip Edwards. She recounted her harrowing experience of taking cover beneath a van as the gunmen circled during the attack.

Edwards, the creative director of Ksubi, was enjoying a day at Bondi Beach with friends when the shooting erupted. She and her friend, Jess Engels, were walking towards a Jewish event, which authorities believe was the intended target of the assailants.

“The gun man [sic] fired his first round of shots right behind my girlfriend newand I as we had just passed the bridge were they were standing,” Edwards wrote in an Instagram post.

She and friend Jess Engels were heading in the direction of the Jewish event the gunmen are believed to have targeted.

Bondi Junction mass shooting: The two shooters opened fire from a bridge. — Edwards said she took cover beneath a van when the gunman opened fire near her and her friend. (9News)

Edwards and her friend took cover between two parked vans.

“The shots continued to fire incessantly, and quite literally as close as two metres away,” she wrote.

“We had to immediately take refuge under a van and watched the gunman’s feet with his gun pace in front of the van right at our heads, using our van as his post.”

Edwards said both gunmen circled the van shooting at everything until a civilian’s shouts drew them away.

She and Engels remained hidden under the van for about 15 minutes until the shooting stopped.

They waited until another friend located them under the van before safely emerging.

”I was convulsing with fear, trapped, thinking this was it for us,” Edwards wrote.

“I cannot comprehend nor compute it at all.”

Edwards said in the caption of her post that it would be her only comment on the shooting.

Engels posted to her own Instagram stories asking for privacy.

She added that she and Edwards tried to help others hide but that they “did not make it”.

If you have been impacted by the terror attack in Bondi there is support available.

To contact Lifeline Australia, call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. For people under 25 years old, you can contact Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800. Both of these are available on a 24/7 basis. If you wish to donate blood, you can find your nearest donor centre here.