Bondi Beach shooting: At least 15 killed in terror attack on Australia's Jewish community

At least 15 people, aged between 10 and 87 years old, have been killed in a terror attack on Bondi Beach.

Two men - a father and son - opened fire as more than a thousand people gathered to mark the first day of Hanukkah at the tourist hotspot on Sunday evening, with video from the scene showing people running for their lives.

One of the attackers, a 50-year-old man, was shot dead by police, while 15 innocent victims were also killed.

Police said the father was a licenced firearms holder for the last 10 years and six licenced guns had been recovered from the scene and searches at addresses in the Sydney suburbs of Bonnyrigg and Campsie.

Follow live: 15 people and gunman killed in shooting

His son, who has been identified as 24-year-old Naveed Akram, suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard.

Police said 14 people died at the scene, with another 42, including four children, taken to hospitals across the city. A 10-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man later died in hospital.

London-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, has been named by his family as one of those who were killed, while two police officers - a constable and probationary constable - were among those injured after suffering gunshot wounds.

It is the worst mass shooting in Australia for nearly 30 years.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the terror incident at the Hanukkah by the Sea celebration was "an act of pure evil" and a "dark day in our nation's history".

"What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations. And it is forever tarnished by what has occurred last evening," he said.

"The Jewish community are hurting today. Today, all Australians wrap arms around them. And so we stand with you. We will do whatever is necessary to stamp out antisemitism. It is a scourge and we will eradicate it together."

Australia, a country of 28 million people, is home to about 117,000 Jews. Antisemitic incidents including assaults, vandalism, threats and intimidation more than tripled in the country during the year after Hamas attack on Israel.

Rabbi Levi Wolff, of Central Synagogue Sydney, said he rushed to the scene when he was told about the shooting.

"We are on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, known as the Festival of Lights, and there was about to be a public menorah lighting," he told Sky News.

"And the gunmen were just shooting at those who were there present for the menorah lighting."

He called on the global Jewish community to light their candles tonight "for those who were killed".

One Israeli citizen is among the dead, according to Israel's foreign ministry.

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What we know so far about Bondi Beach shooting

What happened at Bondi Beach?

Emergency services were called to Campbell Parade around 6.45pm local time after reports of shots being fired.

Two men opened fire in the attack on the Hanukkah by the Sea celebration, where more than a thousand people had gathered to mark the start of the Jewish holiday.

Dramatic footage apparently filmed by a member of the public showed a man, named by a relative as 43-year-old shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, disarming the older gunman, before pointing the man's weapon at him.

A weapons expert said the he appears to have been using a semi-auto shotgun with a red dot sight, while his son appears to be using a Ruger sporting rifle with a red dot sight.

Two "fairly basic" improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which were found at Bondi Beach were removed and made safe, New South Wales Police commissioner Mal Lanyon told a press conference.

Eyewitnesses describe blood and chaos

One of the world's most famous beaches, Bondi is typically crowded with locals and tourists, especially on warm weekend evenings. It is currently summer in Australia.

"I saw at least 10 people on the ground and blood everywhere," 30-year-old local Harry Wilson, who witnessed the shooting, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Lachlan Moran, 32, from Melbourne, was waiting for his family nearby when he heard shots. He dropped the beer he was carrying for his brother and ran.

He said: "You heard a few pops, and I freaked out and ran away... I started sprinting. I just had that intuition. I sprinted as quickly as I could," he said. He said he heard shooting off and on for about five minutes.

(c) Sky News 2025: Bondi Beach shooting: At least 15 killed in terror attack on Australia's Jewish community