Two assailants have assaulted a Jewish celebration at the renowned Bondi Beach in Sydney, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 individuals and injuring numerous others, as reported by Australian officials.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the tragic mass shooting on Sunday, which law enforcement has categorized as a “terrorist” act, as “a deliberate attack on Jewish Australians on the inaugural day of Hanukkah.”
“The horrific events that occurred at Bondi Beach today are incomprehensible, and the grief and trauma that families are confronting tonight surpass anyone’s deepest fears,” Albanese stated.
Approximately 40 individuals are still hospitalized following the shooting, as mentioned in a police announcement from New South Wales (NSW), the state encompassing Sydney.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon expressed that the incident has caused widespread shock throughout Australia.
One of the suspected shooters, a man aged 50, was pronounced dead at the location. His 24-year-old son, who was the second gunman, has been apprehended and is in critical condition, Lanyon indicated.
Lanyon mentioned that officials are not pursuing a third suspect. mThe police commissioner remarked that the 50-year-old held licenses for six firearms and that six firearms were discovered at the site.
“Ballistics and forensic analysis will confirm if those six weapons are indeed those licensed to him,” he stated. Lanyon also informed reporters that two active “rudimentary” explosive devices were located at the shooting scene. “I am relieved that those devices were not detonated,” he remarked.
NSW police have announced that Bondi Beach and surrounding roads will be shut down on Monday as investigators proceed with their inquiries at the crime scene, according to local news sources.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that a “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration had commenced at a playground near the beach’s northern end when the attack transpired at 6:47 PM (07:47 GMT) close to the Bondi Pavilion.
More than 1,000 attendees had gathered for the event, according to law enforcement.
The ABC interviewed a witness who shared that he observed two armed men dressed in black on a bridge, firing at the crowds gathered for the event.
Camilo Diaz, a 25-year-old student from Chile, recounted listening to a prolonged series of gunfire as the assault unfolded. “It was startling. It felt like a solid 10 minutes of just bang, bang, bang,” he recounted to AFP news agency on the scene, adding, “It appeared to be a high-powered weapon.”
Dramatic footage captures a bystander in a parking lot confronting one of the suspects and seizing his weapon. The video later depicts the suspect losing his balance and retreating to a bridge where the other shooter was positioned, while the bystander—identified by local media as 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed—sets the gun down on the ground.
NSW Premier Chris Minns stated it was the “most unbelievable scene I’ve ever witnessed.”
“A man approaching a gunman who had shot at the community and bravely disarming him, risking his own life to save countless others,” he said.
That individual is a true hero, and I am certain that countless lives are being preserved tonight due to his courageous actions. Sussan Ley, the Leader of the Opposition in Australia, shared her sorrow, denouncing what she referred to as “hateful violence” that occurred “as our Jewish community came together.”
“This was meant to be a celebration of peace and a hopeful future, interrupted by hatred,” she remarked. “Those who rushed toward the threat, ordinary Australians, our emergency services and police, are the real heroes.”
Albanese announced that flags will be flown at half-mast on Monday while Australia commemorates what he called a “dark day in our nation’s history.”
“We will take all necessary measures to eliminate anti-Semitism, and we will work on this together,” Albanese stated during a press briefing.
He emphasized that Australia is “more resilient than those responsible for this act” and will “never yield to division and animosity.”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his distress, calling the shooting “heinous.”
“I am appalled and strongly condemn today’s horrific attack on Jewish families gathered in Sydney for Hanukkah,” he shared on X.
Nations across the globe, including Italy, Iran, Qatar, the UK, and the US, also condemned the assault.
US President Donald Trump labeled the incident in Sydney as a “terrible attack.”
While speaking at an event in Jerusalem, Israeli President Isaac Herzog decried the “cruel” shooting.
“Our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have faced an assault by despicable terrorists during a brutal attack on Jews who gathered to kindle the first Hanukkah candle,” Herzog stated at his residence.
“We continually urge the Australian government to take action and combat the significant surge of anti-Semitism that is affecting Australian society,” he added.
A prominent Australian Islamic organization denounced the Bondi Beach shooting as a “horrific” act of violence.
“Our thoughts, hearts, and prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted or who witnessed this profoundly distressing attack,” the Australian National Imams Council said in a statement.
“This is a crucial moment for all Australians, including the Australian Muslim community, to unite in compassion, solidarity, and togetherness,” it further remarked. According to journalist Danielle Robertson reporting from Sydney, the incident has left Australia in disbelief.
In Australia, gun violence in busy public areas is uncommon, especially in locations like Bondi Beach, known for its heavy police presence, she noted. Following the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 in Tasmania, Australia implemented stringent national gun regulations, which has allowed it to largely avoid mass shootings in public settings since then.
Robertson mentioned that police were present along the streets surrounding Bondi Beach, with officers conducting foot patrols, advising individuals to depart, keep away, and head home. Political analyst Mark Kenny characterized Albanese’s speech after the incident as one of his most assertive and focused public addresses.
Kenny stated, “We observed a highly determined Prime Minister of Australia committed to providing assurance to the public, to the Jewish community specifically, but also to the wider population regarding the importance of social unity in Australia and the government’s commitment to track down anyone associated with this.”
