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One of the victims in the hostage situation in Sydney, Australia, was a former student at Washington State University in Pullman, according to Seattle's KIRO-TV.
Police identified the victims as 34-year-old Tori Johnson, the manager of the cafe where the standoff took place, and Sydney lawyer Katrina Dawson, 38, a mother of three.
Johnson’s LinkedIn profile says he studied and received a Bachelor of Arts in hospitality business management at WSU from the College of Business and Economics in 2002 to 2003.
"He was a very selfless manager,” Tony Manno, Johnson's former boss, told ABC News in Australia. "Everyone is deeply saddened and sending their best to the family at the moment.”
Johnson's family sent out a statement that reads, in part:
"We are so proud of our beautiful boy, Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for."
On Monday morning, a gunman burst into the Lindt Chocolat Cafe and took 17 people hostage. It ended 16 hours later in a barrage of gunfire that left two hostages and the gunman dead.
The gunman was identified as 50-year-old Man Haron Monis.
New South Wales state police Commissioner Andrew Scipione wouldn't say whether the two hostages who were killed were caught in crossfire or shot by their captor.
Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said three women were treated in the hospital for gunshot wounds and were in stable condition. A police officer was treated for shotgun pellet wounds and discharged, she said.
Burn said another two women were treated for "health and welfare purposes." Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that those women were pregnant.
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