Sydney – A devastating Sydney shooting at Bondi Beach claimed at least 15 lives on Sunday, marking Australia’s deadliest mass casualty event in nearly three decades. Police have identified the attackers as a father-son duo: 50-year-old fruit seller Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who deliberately targeted a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in what authorities have classified as a terrorist attack.
Father-Son Duo Identified in Sydney Shooting
The Sydney shooting unfolded at the iconic Bondi Beach, where hundreds had gathered for the “Chanukah by the Sea” event celebrating the start of the eight-day Hanukkah festival. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed that one gunman, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was fatally shot by police during the attack. His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram was wounded during the Sydney shooting and remains hospitalized under police custody, receiving treatment for his injuries.
Intelligence sources indicate that the duo were likely of Pakistani origin. The son is an Australian-born citizen, while the father arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa, which was subsequently transferred to a partner visa in 2001 and later to resident return visas, according to Home Minister Tony Burke.
Background of the Attackers
Investigators have revealed that Sajid Akram owned a fruit shop, while his son Naveed had been laid off from his bricklaying job approximately two months before the Sydney shooting after his employer company became insolvent. Significantly, police disclosed that Sajid had held a valid gun license for around 10 years and possessed at least six registered firearms.
According to intelligence sources, Naveed had been examined by Australian Intelligence six years prior for alleged links to the Islamic State. Since coming under surveillance radar, he appears to have maintained a low profile to avoid detection, potentially waiting for an opportune moment to execute the Sydney shooting attack.
Details of the Bondi Beach Attack
The Sydney shooting erupted at approximately 6:45 PM on a summer evening when thousands had flocked to Bondi Beach, an iconic symbol of Australia’s cultural life. Around 1,000 people had attended the targeted Hanukkah event, which was held in a small park adjacent to the beach.
Witnesses reported that the Sydney shooting lasted approximately 10 minutes, causing hundreds of people to scatter across the sand and into nearby streets. Video footage captured by onlookers showed beachgoers in bathing suits fleeing from the water as shots rang out. Separate footage revealed two men in black shirts firing long guns from a footbridge leading to the beach.
Heroic Intervention During Sydney Shooting
A dramatic moment during the Sydney shooting saw a bystander tackle and disarm one of the gunmen. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns identified the hero as Ahmed al Ahmed, a fruit shop owner, calling him a “genuine hero” for his courageous actions. Ahmed, a Muslim father of two, was seen in footage appearing to wrestle the weapon away from one attacker before pointing it at him and then safely placing it on the ground.
A fundraising page established for Ahmed had raised more than A$200,000 ($133,000) by Monday morning, reflecting public gratitude for his bravery during the Sydney shooting crisis.
Victims and Casualties
The Sydney shooting claimed victims aged between 10 and 87 years old, Premier Minns told reporters. At least 42 others were receiving treatment at hospitals on Monday morning, with several in critical condition. Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish movement, identified one of the deceased as Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and an organizer of the Hanukkah event.
Targeted Antisemitic Attack
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the Sydney shooting was a deliberate attack targeting the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah. “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,” Albanese stated during a press conference.
The Prime Minister visited Bondi Beach on Monday morning, laying flowers near the Sydney shooting scene, where mourners had placed candles, flowers, and Israeli and Australian flags. Albanese called it a “dark moment for our nation” and vowed to eradicate antisemitism.
Historical Context and Gun Control
The Sydney shooting represents the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since 1996, when a gunman killed 35 people at the Port Arthur tourist site in Tasmania. That tragedy prompted Australia to implement some of the world’s strictest gun control laws, making mass shootings exceedingly rare in the country.
Investigation and Security Response
Authorities raided the alleged attackers’ home in Bonnyrigg, a suburb approximately 36 kilometers west of Sydney’s Central Business District, where heavy police presence was maintained on Monday. Police confirmed they were confident only two attackers were involved in the Sydney shooting, after initially investigating the possibility of a third offender.
Global Condemnation
The Sydney shooting drew condemnation from world leaders including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack. Trump referenced the incident during a White House Christmas reception, acknowledging it as an antisemitic attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he had previously warned Albanese that Australia’s support for Palestinian statehood would fuel antisemitism. The Sydney shooting was the most serious in a string of antisemitic attacks on synagogues, buildings, and cars in Australia since the beginning of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023.
Rabbi Mendel Kastel, whose brother-in-law Eli Schlanger was killed in the Sydney shooting, emphasized community resilience: “You can very easily become very angry and try to blame people, turn on people but that’s not what this is about. It’s about a community.”
