Bourke St tragedy: Mourners come together to pay tribute to the victims of the horrifying tragedy

Melburnians came together on Monday to pay tribute to the victims of the Bourke St tragedy that resulted in the deaths of five people on Friday. Friends and family honoured the deceased by sharing pictures and memories.

Matthew Si (33), Jess Mudie (22), Thalia Hakin (10), a 25-year-old Japanese man and a three-month-old boy were among those killed on Bourke St. after they were mowed down by a car.

Friends and family came together at a Jewish service, in St Kilda East, to pay tribute to the 10-year-old Thalia. A student of Beth Rivkah College, she was going to begin with grade 5 next month. Her principal, Rabbi Yehoshua Smukler, said the community was left “heartbroken” after learning of Thalia’s death. A fundraiser has been initiated by friends of Thalia.

Si was struck by the car shortly after he was eating lunch with his wife. His wife said she was “shattered” by the incident. Expressing gratitude to those who helped her husband at the scene, she said, “Matt was a devoted husband and a loving father, brother and son. The family would like to thank everyone who helped Matt at the scene and did their best to save him.”

Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews announced that bail laws will undergo changes following the horrifying tragedy. Bail justices expressed their disappointment at being “hung out to dry” after they were blamed to release the alleged killer, Dimitrious 'Jimmy' Gargasoulas, five days before the massacre. According to Fairfax Media, senior police said Gargasoulas was not on bail when he was arrested on Jan 14.

After calls to two bail justices for their jobs had been repealed, one of them said it was “unfair” to claim the “system of bail justices is broken.” He added, “We're highly trained professional volunteers and just as you might have a magistrate that can make an error, the same things can happen with bail justices.”

Twenty two-year-old Maudie, a consultant for insurance broker Marsh, was also killed in Friday’s shocking tragedy. Described as a “bright bubble of joy,” her family said she will always be missed. “You will always be a part of us and are one of the strongest people we know,” her family said. “We are constantly inspired by your love for everyone around you and the lengths you will go to for the people you love.”

One of the city workers, David, said Monday was the first time he’d come into the city following the incident. “It’s so different actually being down here,” he said, speaking with Herald Sun. “So many people stopping and praying, it’s quite an amazing site.”