A festive Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach descended into chaos and tragedy when two gunmen opened fire on crowds gathered for the Jewish festival of lights. What began as an evening of joy and community spirit on a scorching summer afternoon rapidly transformed into a scene of horror that left at least 15 dead and dozens injured.
The attack commenced around 17:00 local time as Jewish families gathered in a beachside park for the traditional celebration. Witnesses describe how festive music was abruptly replaced by screams and gunshot echoes, with the first emergency call to police logged at 18:47. Verified video footage captures the surreal juxtaposition of upbeat Hanukkah music playing while panicked attendees crouched for cover as shots rang out at one-second intervals.
Two identified perpetrators—50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed—allegedly positioned themselves on an elevated pedestrian bridge overlooking the celebration. From this vantage point, they employed what firearms experts identified as sporting shotguns to target the crowd below. The attackers maintained coordinated fire, with one remaining on the bridge while the other advanced toward the park on foot.
The violence sparked mass panic that spread from the park to the beach itself, with terrified sunbathers and swimmers fleeing in all directions. The ensuing chaos witnessed vehicle collisions as people desperately attempted to escape the area, while emergency sirens and car horns filled the air.
A critical turning point occurred when a bystander, later identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, successfully disarmed Sajid Akram after catching him off guard near parked cars. Despite being shot twice during the confrontation, Ahmed wrestled the firearm away and was subsequently hailed by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns for saving ‘countless lives’ through his heroic intervention.
The attack concluded approximately seven-and-a-half minutes after initiation when police neutralized both suspects. Sajid Akram was pronounced dead at the scene, while his critically injured son was transported to a medical facility under guard. Subsequent investigations revealed the elder Akram legally owned six registered firearms under a recreational license, while reports emerged of authorities previously examining Naveed’s connections to a Sydney-based Islamic State cell in 2019—though no ongoing threat had been identified.
In the aftermath, police raided the perpetrators’ Bonnyrigg residence, approximately one hour from Bondi Beach, arresting three individuals who were later released without charge. The investigation continues to examine the attackers’ motivations and the provenance of their weapons as the community grapples with the trauma of Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in recent history.