16 killed, 40 injured on Bondi Beach in Sydney; Targeted Hanukkah celebrations; an armed man died; Police salute local hero
A screenshot of a user-generated video shows beachgoers fleeing Sydney’s Bondi Beach after gunmen opened fire. Photo: AFP
SYDNEY:
Gunmen killed at least 16 people and injured at least 40 others on Sunday after opening fire on a gathering celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, in what Australian police described as a “terrorist” attack.
The shooting took place during the annual “Hanukkah by the Sea” event, which police said was attended by more than a thousand people at one of Australia’s most popular and busiest beaches. Emergency services responded to reports of shots fired at 6:47 p.m. local time.
Initially, NSW Police said at least 29 people were rushed from the beach to nearby hospitals. One of the suspected gunmen was killed at the scene, while a second suspect was seriously injured, authorities said.
Later on Monday, police gave an updated death toll, confirming that 16 people were killed and at least 40 others injured in a shooting, who remain in hospital. The police statement did not specify whether the death toll included one of the shooters, who died in the attack.
Police described the incident as a “terrorist” attack and said suspected improvised explosive devices were found inside a vehicle near the beach that was linked to the deceased suspect.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the shooting was a targeted attack on Australian Jews on the first day of Hanukkah. “This is a targeted attack on Australian Jews on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith,” Albanese said.
“An act of evil, anti-Semitism and terrorism have struck at the heart of our nation. An attack on Australian Jews is an attack on all Australians,” he added, while calling ordinary citizens who intervened during the attack “heroes”.
As the gunfire rang out, crowds fled in panic from Sydney’s eastern beach, which is usually packed with swimmers, surfers and tourists, especially on weekends. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as people ran for safety.
“We heard the gunshots. It was shocking, it was like 10 minutes of bang, bang, bang. It seemed like a powerful weapon,” a 25-year-old Chilean student at the scene told AFP. Another witness said he saw six people dead or injured lying on the beach following the shooting.
An AFP journalist at the scene reported seeing discarded items scattered on the grassy hillside overlooking Bondi Beach, including towels, bags and a child’s stroller abandoned by people fleeing the area.
Paramedics were seen treating injured people lying in the grass, according to images broadcast by public channel ABC. A weapon that appeared to be a shotgun was located near a tree near the beach.
British tourist Timothy Brant-Coles told AFP he saw “two shooters in black” after the gunfire broke out. “There was a shooting, two shooters in black with semi-automatic rifles,” he said, adding that he saw several people with gunshot wounds.
Another British tourist said he saw people moving children away from the beach as gunshots rang out. “People were taking their children, there were about 40 shots fired. It looked like fireworks,” said Bianca, a 26-year-old teacher in Sydney.
As night fell, the normally bustling area around Bondi Beach was evacuated as armed police cordoned off the streets and emergency sirens replaced the usual sounds of nightlife. A few hours later, the beach was almost deserted.
Video footage circulating on social media showed a man grappling with one of the gunmen, snatching the gun from him and pointing it at the attacker, who appeared to be retreating. Local media identified the man as Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit seller.
Australian newspaper 7News reported he was shot and injured. A man identified as his cousin, Mustapha, told the media outlet that Ahmed had been hospitalized. “He’s in the hospital and we don’t know exactly what’s going on inside,” he said. “We hope he’s okay. He’s 100 percent a hero.”
Prime Minister Albanese also hailed Ahmed and others who intervened as “heroes”, saying their actions could have saved lives. Australian authorities said investigations were ongoing, while police continued to secure the area and urged the public to follow official guidelines.
World leaders expressed shock and condemnation. King Charles III said he was “appalled” by what he described as “a most terrible anti-Semitic terrorist attack against the Jewish people.” Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the news from Australia as “deeply distressing”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said anti-Semitism has no place in the world. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “shocked” by an “appalling act of violence”, adding that Europe stood with Australia and Jewish communities around the world.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, saying France would tirelessly fight anti-Semitic hatred. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her deep sadness.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran condemned the violent attack, adding that the killing of human beings anywhere was rejected. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country stood in solidarity with Australia after the attack.
In Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sadness over the shooting, offering condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, including police personnel.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his condolences, saying Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and stood in solidarity with the Australian people and government.
A major Australian Muslim organization also condemned the shooting, calling it “horrific”, while the head of the Australian Jewish Association called the attack a tragedy, saying the government had been warned of threats to the Jewish community.
