Australian police have identified a father and son as the perpetrators of a mass shooting that left 15 people dead during a Jewish holiday celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, marking the country’s deadliest gun attack in nearly three decades.
Authorities said the 50-year-old father was killed at the scene, bringing the total death toll to 16, while his 24-year-old son remains in critical condition in hospital. Local media identified the pair as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram, though police initially withheld their names. Officials have described the attack as a deliberate antisemitic act.
At least 40 people remain hospitalised, including two police officers listed in serious but stable condition. Victims ranged in age from 10 to 87. Witnesses said the shooting unfolded over about 10 minutes at the crowded beachfront, triggering panic as hundreds fled across the sand and into surrounding streets.
Police estimated that around 1,000 people were attending the Hanukkah event, held in a small park near the beach. A bystander who tackled and disarmed one of the attackers has been praised for saving lives. Australian media identified him as Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner who was shot twice and later underwent surgery. A fundraising campaign in his support raised more than A$350,000 within a day.
Amid speculation about the attackers’ backgrounds, police said the father had held a firearms licence since 2015 and owned six registered weapons. Home Minister Tony Burke said he arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa, while his son was born in Australia. Investigators said they were still piecing together the men’s history and possible motives.
Footage from the scene showed the attackers using what appeared to be a bolt-action rifle and a shotgun. While reports suggested possible links to the Islamic State group, including flags allegedly found in the suspects’ vehicle, New South Wales police said they could not yet confirm those claims.
Residents described scenes of chaos and fear. One local woman said she sheltered several people who were fleeing, many without phones or belongings. Another witness recalled hearing what she first thought were fireworks before seeing people run and bodies lying on the ground.
A makeshift memorial of flowers, candles, and Israeli and Australian flags was set up near the Bondi pavilion as mourners gathered under heavy security. An online condolence book was also opened for the victims and their families.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the site, calling the shooting an act of terrorism driven by antisemitism. He urged national solidarity with the Jewish community and called on Australians to light candles in a symbolic stand against hatred. Several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, conveyed their condolences.
Mass shootings are rare in Australia, which has strict gun laws. The last attack of comparable scale occurred in 1996 at Port Arthur in Tasmania. Jewish community leaders said the tragedy was deeply traumatic but stressed the need for unity and resilience.
Australia’s Jewish population numbers about 150,000, with a significant portion living in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Following the attack, cities including Berlin, London, and New York increased security around Hanukkah events amid concerns of copycat violence.
