Bondi shooting declared terrorist attack as gunman identified
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the incident a terror attack and said police were investigating whether a third person was possibly involved.
NSW Police have declared the Bondi Beach shooting a terrorist attack, with one of the gunmen identified as Naveed Akram, whose home in Sydney’s west was raided by heavily-armed police on Sunday night.
The attack on a Chanukah celebration, organised annually by Chabad of Bondi, has left at least 12 people dead, at least 29 others wounded and the Jewish community devastated.
The gunmen, armed with high-powered rifles, opened fire from a footbridge connecting Campbell Parade to Bondi Pavilion about 6.47pm, firing between 30 and 50 shots at Jewish families gathered for the first night of Chanukah.
Police sources revealed the terrorists also threw two pipe bombs towards the crowd of more than 1000, though the explosives failed to detonate.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the incident a terror attack and said police were investigating whether a third person was possibly involved. He also revealed officers had discovered a car parked on Campbell Parade containing further explosives.
“At approximately 6.47pm this evening, two individuals began firing on a crowd, a group of families on Bondi Beach,” Commissioner Lanyon said.
“This cowardly act of terrifying violence is shocking and painful to see and represents some of the worst fears of terrorism in Sydney.”
One of the terrorists was killed by police who arrived on scene, whilst another was arrested and taken to hospital with critical injuries.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed Jewish Australians directly: “Your fellow Australians stand with you tonight in condemning this act of terror, in condemning this outrage”.
He said his government has taken the threat of antisemitism “seriously,” adding that we’ve “continued to act”.
“We’ve continued to work with Jewish community leaders. We’ve continued to take all the advice from the security agencies to put in place special measures, and will continue to do so,” he said.
Albanese said Australia’s Jewish community should never “have to endure the loss that you have suffered today”.
“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Chanukah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith,” he said.
“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.”
Premier Chris Minns called the attack “a terrible night for Sydney” and said NSW Police would be given all the resources they needed for their investigation.
“This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah, what should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in that community with families and supporters, has been shattered by this horrifying evil attack,” Mr Minns said.
“There are things that tonight, I don’t have the answers to.
“I can only imagine the pain that the community is feeling right now to see their loved ones killed as they celebrated a holiday,” Minns said.
“It’s the responsibility of all Australians to wrap your arms around the Jewish community, and help them get through this incredibly difficult period.”
A spokesman for Hatzolah said the group was among the first on scene at the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, revealing one of its responders had been shot while trying to save lives.
“Hatzolah was first on scene at the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. While our responders were on standby at the event trying to save lives, one of their lives was nearly taken,” they said.
“Please say Tehillim and have in mind one of our dedicated and invaluable Hatzolah Responders who was shot in the back and is currently in surgery – Yaakov Dov Ben Penina.
“Please pray for all the injured, the deceased and all affected by this heinous terrorist attack.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the events on Sunday were “abhorrent” and said “terrorism, antisemitism, violence and hate have no place in Australia”.
“My deepest condolences are with those who have lost loved ones tonight. We hope for the full recovery of all injured and we stand in solidarity with the Australian Jewish community,” she said.
“Thank you to the emergency services and to the everyday Australians who showed courage in the face of such terror.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he was “horrified by the news” and called on Sydneysiders to listen to NSW Police during the course of their investigations.
Speaking hours after the terror attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Albanese’s policies, which include recognising a Palestinian state, encourage “the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets”.
“Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. You must replace weakness with action,” he said.
Netanyahu said the attack was “cold-blooded murder”.
“The numbers of casualties is unfortunately rising every minute. We saw the depths of evil. We also saw the pinnacle of Jewish heroism,” he said, pointing out a bystander he said was Jewish, who was filmed wrestling a weapon out of the hands of one of the attackers.
“We are in a battle against global antisemitism and the only way to fight it is to denounce it and to fight it. There is no other way.”
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