In a devastating terrorist assault that has shaken Australia, two gunmen identified as father and son unleashed firearm violence upon hundreds celebrating Hanukkah at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday. The attack resulted in 15 fatalities and left 27 hospitalized with injuries, marking the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in decades.
Authorities confirmed the perpetrators as Sajid Akram, 50, who was killed during an exchange of gunfire with police, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, currently hospitalized under police guard with critical injuries. The assault specifically targeted Jewish participants and is being investigated as a terrorist incident by Australia’s Joint Counter Terrorism Team.
Among the victims were a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, and two rabbis, highlighting the deliberate targeting of the Jewish community during the festival celebrations.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that while Naveed Akram had previously drawn attention from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2019, assessments at the time concluded no imminent threat of violence. Both gunmen acted independently without connections to broader extremist networks, though investigators discovered two Islamic State flags and improvised explosive devices in their vehicle.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke disclosed that Sajid Akram entered Australia on a student visa in 1998, later transitioning to permanent residency, while his son was an Australian-born citizen. The elder Akram had legally obtained six firearms through recreational hunting licenses, all recovered from the crime scene.
The attackers utilized a small bridge as a firing position, employing long-barrelled weapons during the assault. Prior to the attack, the pair had relocated from their Bonnyrigg family home to an Airbnb in Campsie, telling relatives they were embarking on a fishing trip.
Islamic community leaders condemned the violence, with Al Murad Institute founder Adam Ismail emphasizing that the Quran explicitly forbids such attacks, stating that taking innocent life equates to killing all of humanity.