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Fifteen killed as gunmen target Hanukkah gathering at Bondi Beach
A father and son opened fire on hundreds of people attending a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 and wounding 27. The attack, classified as terrorism, ranks as Australia's deadliest mass shooting in decades.
Attackers identified; one dead, one critically injured
Authorities confirmed the shooters as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram. Police fatally shot the father during a confrontation at the scene, while the son remains hospitalized under guard with life-threatening injuries. Both men had reportedly sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Victims include child, Holocaust survivor, and rabbis
Among those killed were a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, and two rabbis. The assault specifically targeted Jewish attendees, according to officials. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the motive as "extremist ideology" but ruled out involvement by a broader terrorist network.
Background of the gunmen
Sajid Akram, a permanent Australian resident, arrived in the country on a student visa in 1998. He later transitioned to a partner visa and secured a Resident Return Visa after overseas travel. His son, Naveed, was born in Australia and first came under scrutiny by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2019.
ASIO assessed Naveed as posing no immediate threat at the time, despite his associations with individuals linked to extremism. A senior counterterrorism official revealed Naveed had ties to Isaac El Matari, a self-proclaimed Islamic State commander for Australia, who was imprisoned in 2021 for terrorism offenses.
Weapons and explosives recovered
Police recovered six firearms from the scene, all legally registered to Sajid Akram under a recreational hunting license. Authorities also discovered improvised explosive devices in the attackers' vehicle, which bore Islamic State flags. The gunmen fired long-barrel weapons from a bridge near the event.
"The firearms registry conducts rigorous checks to ensure applicants are fit to hold licenses," said New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.
Community reactions and prior movements
The Akram family resided in Bonnyrigg, a multicultural suburb in southwestern Sydney. Neighbors described them as unremarkable, with one resident noting, "They seemed like any other family." Weeks before the attack, the pair relocated to an Airbnb in Campsie, closer to Bondi.
Three individuals were briefly detained during a police raid at the Bonnyrigg home but were later released without charges. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the gunmen told family members they were embarking on a fishing trip before the assault.
Religious institution responds
Naveed Akram studied the Quran and Arabic at Al Murad Institute in western Sydney for a year. The institute's founder, Adam Ismail, condemned the attack, stating, "Taking one innocent life is akin to killing all of humanity-this act is forbidden in Islam."
Global context of IS-inspired violence
The Islamic State group, formerly based in Iraq and Syria, has claimed responsibility for numerous high-profile attacks, including the 2015 Paris massacres (130 dead) and last year's assault on Moscow's Crocus City Hall (145 dead). Australian authorities continue to investigate the Bondi attack's links to the organization.
