In a heartening update, a young police officer who suffered critical injuries while saving a member of the public during the Bondi Beach terror attack has been pictured smiling with colleagues for the first time since the horrific incident.
A Long Road to Recovery After Heroic Actions
Constable Scott Dyson, aged 25, was one of several officers on patrol at Bondi Beach on the evening of 14 December 2025. The officers were providing security for a 'Hanukkah by the Sea' event when two gunmen, later identified as Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father Sajid, allegedly opened fire on the crowd with military-grade weapons.
During the nine-minute attack, which left 16 people dead and 42 injured, Constable Dyson was critically wounded. He underwent surgeries almost daily for a month and was placed in a medically induced coma. He finally awoke from the coma on 23 December and has been in recovery ever since, culminating in his recent discharge from hospital after 31 days.
An Emotional Return to the Police Family
The Police Association of NSW shared a positive health update this week after Constable Dyson visited his former colleagues at the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command. A photo published by the union shows the constable in plain clothes, his right arm in a sling, standing centre-frame and smiling alongside other officers.
'Not many occupations would see someone want to drop into work upon getting out of hospital but it shows the culture of the police family,' the association stated. 'It was all smiles at the Eastern Suburbs PAC tonight as Constable Scott Dyson dropped into Bondi station to catch up with his brothers and sisters in blue upon his discharge from hospital after 31 days.'
The association confirmed that Scott will continue to recover at home for an extended period and expressed eagerness to see him back in his role full-time. NSW Premier Chris Minns also shared the photo, posting on Facebook: 'Scott, we owe you so much for your bravery and sacrifice on December 14. Thank you so much.'
Community Support and Ongoing Challenges
The officer's road to recovery is not yet over. His family has revealed he is due to undergo further surgery on his shoulder in the coming weeks, which they hope will aid his rehabilitation. 'He's doing remarkable. He’s on the improve. They’ve got him up and walking little steps, but yeah, it’s wonderful,' his mother Heather told news.com.au. 'Now we can see a road ahead, so yeah, we’re all very excited for Scott.'
In a deeply personal revelation in December, his partner and fellow NSW Police officer, Jessica Townsend, shared that the couple are expecting a child. She wrote of the day of the attack: 'On the evening of December 14, I truly believed I would never see Scott again after receiving news of his life-threatening injuries.'
The community has rallied behind the hero constable. A fundraiser organised by NSW Police to help him 'rebuild his life' has far surpassed its goal, raising an astounding $660,000 against a target of $25,000.
Constable Dyson was one of four officers who managed to return fire at the alleged gunmen during the attack. Another officer, 22-year-old Probationary Constable Hibbert, was also near-fatally injured. He had been pulling members of the public to safety near Archer Park when he was struck by a bullet, with shrapnel damaging nerves behind his eye. He was discharged from hospital just before Christmas.
Naveed Akram has since been charged with 59 offences, including terrorism and 15 counts of murder following the deadly attack at the iconic Sydney beach.
