Sydney’s Bondi Beach shooting: 16 dead in Australia’s worst attack in decades, police call it 'terrorist' incident

What began as a public celebration of faith on one of Australia’s most iconic beaches descended into panic and bloodshed on Sunday evening, when gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. At least 16 people, including one of the attackers, were killed, and dozens were wounded in an assault authorities have declared a terrorist attack.

Australian police said the shooting targeted a Jewish community event marking the first day of Hanukkah. The attack unfolded over several terrifying minutes as hundreds of people fled the beach and nearby streets. One of the suspected attackers was shot dead by police, while a second gunman was arrested and remains in critical condition. Investigators are examining whether a third attacker may have been involved.

One of the attackers has been identified as 25-year-old Naveed Akram.

World leaders condemn the attack

Prime Minister Albanese convened an emergency meeting of the national security council and condemned the violence in stark terms. “This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith,” he said. “An act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.”

He added: “An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Australia’s government of fuelling anti-Jewish sentiment, while Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was “appalled” and warned that Australia must “come to its senses” after repeated warnings about antisemitism.

Global leaders also expressed condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the “ghastly terrorist attack,” Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was being updated on the “appalling attack,” and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “Antisemitism has no place in this world.”

Timeline of the attack

According to New South Wales (NSW) Police, emergency services were first alerted to reports of gunfire at around 6:47 pm local time. Bondi Beach was crowded after a hot summer day, with families, tourists and surfers still in the area.

More than 1,000 people had gathered near the beachfront playground for the annual “Hanukkah by the Sea” event, which was scheduled to begin around 5 pm. Videos from the scene showed at least two gunmen armed with long weapons firing from a pedestrian footbridge linking Campbell Parade to the beach.

As shots rang out, crowds scattered across the sand, grassy hills and nearby streets, abandoning bags, shoes and even children’s strollers.

Witnesses said the shooting lasted several minutes. Marcos Carvalho, a 38-year-old Bondi Junction resident, told Reuters, “I was just getting ready to go home and then I started hearing the shots. We all panicked and started running. We just ran through the hill. I must have heard, I don’t know, maybe, like, 40, 50 shots.”

Camilo Diaz, a 25-year-old student from Chile, told AFP: “It was shocking, it felt like 10 minutes of just bang, bang, bang. It seemed like a powerful weapon.”

Another witness, Grace Mathew, described the sudden shift from calm to terror. “Initially you just think, it’s a beautiful day down by the beach,” she told Reuters. “Then more people ran past and said there’s a shooter, there’s a mass shooting and they’re killing people.”

Probe into the attack

Police declared the shooting a “terrorist incident,” citing the targeted nature of the attack and the weapons used. Commissioner Lanyon said officers were examining several suspicious items, including suspected improvised explosive devices found in a vehicle linked to the deceased suspect.

A bomb disposal unit was deployed and an exclusion zone established around the beach as specialist teams searched the area. Police said they could not yet confirm whether a third gunman was involved.

Australia’s domestic intelligence chief, Mike Burgess, said one of the suspected attackers was known to authorities but had not been assessed as an immediate threat. “One of these individuals was known to us but not [from] an immediate threat perspective,” Burgess said, adding that agencies would now examine “what happened,” according to Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies)