Australian police confirmed on Monday that the two alleged gunmen responsible for the deadly attack at a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach were a father and son. The assault, which killed 15 people, marks Australia’s worst gun violence in nearly three decades. The father, aged 50, was shot dead at the scene, bringing the total death toll to 16, while his 24-year-old son remains in critical condition in hospital.
The father and son were identified by local media as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram, respectively. Authorities have described Sunday’s shooting as a targeted anti-Semitic attack. Forty people, including two police officers, remain hospitalized, with victims ranging in age from 10 to 87.
Witnesses described a terrifying scene at Bondi Beach, which was crowded on a hot evening. The shooting lasted around ten minutes, sending hundreds of attendees and bystanders fleeing across the sand and into nearby streets. Police said approximately 1,000 people were present at the targeted Hanukkah event, which was held in a small park near the beach.
A bystander, later named as 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, tackled and disarmed one of the armed men during the attack. He sustained two gunshot wounds and underwent surgery. A fundraising campaign for him raised more than A$350,000 (£233,000) within hours.
Authorities provided limited details about the shooters, noting the father had held a firearms license since 2015 with six licensed weapons. Home Minister Tony Burke said the father arrived in Australia on a student visa in 1998, while his son is Australian-born. Videos from the scene showed what appeared to be a bolt-action rifle and a shotgun used in the attack.
Police are investigating possible links between the gunmen and the Islamic State group. Reports indicate that two IS flags were found in the suspects’ car, although officials have not confirmed this information. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said, “We are very much working through the background of both persons. At this stage, we know very little about them.”
Residents and witnesses recounted the chaos. Morgan Gabriel, a 27-year-old Bondi local, said she initially thought the gunfire was fireworks before realizing the severity of the attack. “I sheltered six or seven people. Two were close friends, the rest were just bystanders,” she said. She described the normally bustling area as unusually quiet and solemn the following morning.
A makeshift memorial was set up at the Bondi pavilion with flowers and both Israeli and Australian flags. Online condolence books were also established, while Jewish security personnel and police guarded the area as mourners paid their respects.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the scene, calling the attack “an act of pure evil, an act of anti-Semitism, an act of terrorism on our shores.” He urged Australians to light candles in solidarity with the Jewish community during Hanukkah, emphasizing that “light will indeed defeat darkness.” Albanese confirmed that several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, had reached out to offer condolences and support.
Sunday’s shootings come amid a string of anti-Semitic incidents in Australia since Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023. Mass shootings are rare in Australia, making this the deadliest attack since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which killed 35 people.
Members of the Jewish community described the emotional impact. Rabbi Mendel Kastel, whose brother-in-law Eli Schlanger was killed, urged the community to unite: “It’s about a community. We need to step up at a time like this, be there for each other, and come together.”
Local residents also expressed fear and urgency. Danielle, a Bondi resident, raced to collect her daughter from a nearby bar mitzvah when the shooting occurred. “I could hear gunshots, I saw bodies on the ground. We are used to being scared, especially since October 7,” she said.
Australia’s Jewish population is relatively small, numbering about 150,000 in a country of 27 million. Around one-third reside in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, including Bondi. Following the attack, major cities including Berlin, London, and New York increased security around Hanukkah events to prevent similar attacks.
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