A business card bearing the name of Sydney siege victim, Lindt Cafe store manager Tori Johnson, is pictured among photos of him wearing a red shirt at an impromptu memorial in Martin Place December 17, 2014. Tough new national security laws failed to prev
IN PHOTO: A business card bearing the name of Sydney siege victim, Lindt Cafe store manager Tori Johnson, is pictured among photos of him wearing a red shirt at an impromptu memorial in Martin Place December 17, 2014. Tough new national security laws failed to prevent a deadly hostage crisis in the heart of Sydney this week, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday, raising questions about the usefulness of such measures. REUTERS/Jason Reed

Sydney Siege victim Katrina Dawson died from a gunshot fired by Man Haron Monis, according to preliminary ballistic reports. The barrister and mother of three was killed during the hostage drama at the Lindt Café in Martin Place early Tuesday morning.

Dawson, 38, was one of the two slain victims in the tragedy. But while it was clear how fellow hostage Tori Johnson was killed, it was unclear how it happened to Dawson. There was a suggestion that she might have been killed during the final standoff between Monis and the NSW police when the force stormed inside the café around 2 am.

A tweet by Channel 7 reporter, Robert Ovadia, however, claimed that Dawson was shot by Monis. He said the preliminary ballistic report suggests that several shotgun pellets severed her aorta.

BREAKING @7NewsSydney Preliminary ballistics report suggests Katrina Dawson was killed by gunman - several shot gun pellets severing aorta.

— Robert Ovadia (@RobertOvadia) December 18, 2014

Dawson’s family visited the makeshift memorial in Martin Place to leave flowers and letters to her. She is survived by her husband Paul and their children, Chloe, Sasha and Oliver.

Like Dawson, Johnson, 34, also died in the hands of the self-styled sheik. Sources told 9News that the gunman executed the café manager with a shot in the head at close range. Apparently, Monis became incensed when a group of hostages was able to escape from his watch. Monis, on the other hand, was killed during the raid.

Read: Sydney Siege Hero Tori Johnson Shot by Hostage-Taker Man Haron Monis at Close Range – Report

NSW Premier Mike Baird said they will be erecting a permanent memorial in Martin Place. “This is something that will be with us forever. We need to recognise that and pay tribute to the inspiring Australians that we have lost, and what they have given us,” he was quoted by the Macquarie Radio as saying. “They’ve given us something so special which is unprecedented bond of togetherness and strength in the face of adversity.”

News Ltd reports the post-mortem on both victims has been completed. Their bodies were expected to be released to their families Thursday night.

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