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Shocking images recreate scenes inside Lindt Café siege

A tactical police operative has described staring Man Haron Monis in the eyes as he pumped 17 bullets into the hostage-taker's chest and head after storming the Lindt cafe.

Police crime scene experts have created 3D vision of the siege that occurred in the early hours of December 15, 2014.

The images show officers from the Tactical Operations Unit assaulting the cafe through the main Martin Place entrance.

Police crime scene experts created these amazing 3D videos of the scene. Source: NSW Police.

CCTV of police storming the Lindt Cafe.

The leading senior constable, known only as Officer A, said he never took his eyes off the gunman as the two exchanged gunfire in the frantic final seconds of the Sydney siege.

The officer and his crack Alpha team had been standing ready to force entry into the cafe for around 10 minutes before they were ordered to launch the assault after Monis executed cafe manager Tori Johnson at 2.13am on December 16, 2014.

He described sprinting towards the cafe before feeling "like time had slowed down" as his colleague blasted through its glass doors with a shotgun.

The officer said he was "100 per cent certain" at that point that there was a bomb inside the cafe.

He saw Monis standing in the back of the cafe and immediately fixed his laser and light source on him.

Police crime scene experts created these amazing 3D videos of the scene. Source: NSW Police.

The officer flinched as Monis fired at police as they entered, thinking he was going to be shot, before returning fire and edging forward to engage the gunman again.

He continued to fire at Monis as he fell to the ground, believing at first he still posed a threat.

But after edging towards the gunman flanked by a police shield-bearer, it was clear that the siege was over.

"He was missing a big chunk of his head," the officer said.

Before the video was shown at the inquest recently, counsel assisting the coroner, Jason Downing, warned the images were very confronting. Source: NSW Police.

Katrina Dawson died from bullet wounds sustained during the Lindt Cafe siege.

Officer A on Monday defended the number of bullets he pumped into Monis.

"I needed to neutralise the threat, being Monis, and I deemed that threat was neutralised once Monis was incapacitated," he said.

Hostage Katrina Dawson was also fatally wounded after being struck by fragments of police bullets.

News break – July 26