Terror Attack in Sydney: Hanukkah Violence At Bondi Beach Kills 16
Synopsis
Twelve individuals, comprising one shooter, lost their lives. 29 people were wounded when two attackers fired shots at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday night. Authorities labelled it an incident aimed at the Jewish community. One of the recognised gunmen Naveed Akram hails from Bonnyrigg. A passerby managed to subdue one of the shooters and is being celebrated as a hero. Two law enforcement officers continue to be in condition. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the attack as evil antisemitism that targets Australia's Jewish community.
Breaking News: A minimum of 16 people and 38 more have been reported injured when two shooters started shooting at a crowd celebrating Hanukkah at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday night. Authorities have labelled the event as a terrorist attack, which took place at a Jewish community event called Chanukah by the Sea. One of the shooters was fatally shot by police. The other remains in police custody in critical condition. Among the dead is a 12-year-old child, with three additional children currently admitted to the hospital.
Several eyewitnesses claimed that they saw the assailants, who were wearing black, shooting from a bridge, into the crowd for 10 minutes until a passerby managed to overpower one of the shooters.
Events That Took Place at Bondi Beach
At 6:45 pm, NSW police responded to reports of a shooter at Bondi Beach as stated in an alert. Images captured at the location show two men discharging firearms from a bridge, above a group gathered at Bondi Park's playground.
A witness said that he saw two gunmen standing on a small pedestrian bridge close to the Bondi playground parking lot. He mentioned that the shooters "ruthlessly fired at" individuals assembled in the park. The witness estimated the shooting had lasted for 10 minutes and characterised it as "complete hell, on Earth."
NSW Premier Chris Minns commended a man who took a gun from one of the shooters as a " hero". The man walked up to a gunman who had started shooting in the community and bravely disarmed him alone risking his life to protect many others. "That gentleman is a hero, and I'm certain that numerous individuals are alive this evening because of his courageous actions," Mr Minns stated.
16 Dead, 38 Injured in Attack
NSW Police have verified that 16 individuals, among them one perpetrator, have died in the incident. Police hold a second gunman; nonetheless, his status is currently unclear. An additional 38 people, among them two police officers, sustained injuries. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon reported that the two officers are in a "nearly critical" state. Both are undergoing surgery at the moment.
One of the fatalities, a national, has been confirmed by Israel's foreign ministry, reported local authorities. There was also an IED found inside a car on Campbell Parade, according to the police. The bombs were near the bridge where the gunmen opened fire. Police took away the bombs in a vehicle after removing them from the scene.
Shooter Named, as a Sydney Resident
A senior police official said that a person named Naveed Akram , from the south-west area of the city, was one of the suspected shooters who were involved in the incidents that happened near Bondi Beach in Sydney. The official, who asked not to be named, stated that police went to Mr Akram's place for a search in the Bonnyrigg area on Sunday night after they carried out the operation.
According to NSW Police, one of the two shooters died at the location whereas the other was wounded and transported to custody, in a state. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon indicated that one of the gunmen was familiar to authorities, yet "the individual we recognise has limited acquaintance with the police".
Mike Burgess, the leader of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, stated that he was looking into who the attackers were and whether others in the community shared their intentions. When questioned if any of the shooters appeared on ASIO's watchlists, Mr Burgess responded: "One of these people was familiar to us but not as a threat, so we must investigate what occurred in this case."
Assault Focused on Jewish Hanukkah Gathering
The shooting took place at a section of Bondi Beach close to or within the playground at Bondi Park. A considerable crowd was gathered in the park for a Hanukkah celebration called Chanukah by the Sea, which began around 5 pm. It was scheduled to continue until 9 pm.
Sunday marked the first day of Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish festival of lights. Mr Minns described the shooting as an " assault on the Jewish community." Peter Wertheim of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry mentioned that a thousand people attended the Jewish event tonight, and he believed this was an intentional act.
Prime Minister: Attack 'Evil Antisemitism'
The Bondi Beach terror incident has been called by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese an "antisemitic act" targeting the Jewish community in Australia. He promised that the nation won't succumb to "division, violence or hatred". He added, “The evil unleashed at Bondi Beach today goes beyond what one could ever dream of.”
The Prime Minister vowed to "eliminate" the hatred that sparked the mass shooting and justified his administration’s handling of the increase in antisemitism in Australia. The area is no longer cordoned off, and authorities are transferring it to crime scene investigators. A significant police and ambulance presence continues at the beach location.
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