New South Wales Police have reported that 16 people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed in a mass shooting at Bondi Beach on Sunday, in what authorities are treating as a terrorist attack.
The victims’ ages ranged from 10 to 87. The shooting took place during an event marking the start of Hanukkah, leading investigators to classify the incident as a deliberate attack on the Jewish community.
Police identified the gunmen as father and son Naveed Akram, 24, and Sajid Akram, 50. The older suspect died at the scene, while his 24-year-old son remains in hospital in critical condition. Authorities noted that Sajid Akram was a registered gun club member and held a valid licence for long-arm firearms.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon stated that Sajid Akram had been a licensed firearms holder for the past 10 years and owned six firearms, all of which were recovered from the scene.
Investigations are ongoing, including forensic examinations and inquiries into how the weapons were used during the attack.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the shooting, calling it “an act of pure evil” and stating that the attack had “deliberately targeted” the Jewish community.
