A joyous Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach tragically transformed into a scene of terror as two gunmen opened fire, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. The attack unfolded on a scorching summer’s afternoon, disrupting what was meant to be a festive gathering for Jewish families and thousands of other beachgoers. Police were alerted at 18:47 local time, plunging the vibrant coastal community into chaos.

The horrific incident began shortly after 17:00, just as the Hanukkah event commenced with festive music and free donuts. Eyewitnesses described screams quickly replacing cheerful tunes as gunshots echoed through the park. A local high school teacher, Chavi, recounted dropping to the ground to shield her baby, stating, “bullets were flying above us,” amidst the “pandemonium and chaos” that gripped the crowd.

Panic rapidly spread from the park to the adjacent sand, with terrified beachgoers sprinting for safety, creating a cacophony of screams, honking car horns, and ambulance sirens. Verified video footage captured the chilling juxtaposition of upbeat Hanukkah music continuing to play in the background while people crouched in fear and prostrate bodies lay still on the grass. Some cars reportedly crashed in the desperate rush to escape the unfolding nightmare.

An almost 11-minute video, verified by the BBC, offered a detailed timeline of the attack. It showed the two gunmen, later identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, making their way across Campbell Parade before taking an elevated position on a pedestrian bridge above the park. From this vantage point, they allegedly used “two sporting shotguns” to carry out a significant portion of the assault.

As Naveed Akram reportedly remained on the bridge, his father, Sajid Akram, descended towards the park, continuing to fire at individuals. A moment of extraordinary bravery emerged when Ahmed al Ahmed, a passerby, confronted Sajid Akram, wrestling the firearm away from him. Despite being shot twice during the encounter, Ahmed al Ahmed’s actions were credited by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns with saving “countless lives.”

However, the respite was brief. Less than a minute after being disarmed, Sajid Akram returned to the bridge, resuming his assault with another weapon. The relentless gunfire ceased approximately two minutes later when both gunmen were reportedly struck by police fire. Officers arrived on the bridge, encountering a chaotic scene with the wounded alleged attackers and a crowd of bystanders, some seen kicking the men on the ground.

Authorities confirmed Sajid Akram died at the scene, while Naveed Akram sustained critical injuries and was transported to hospital. The investigation swiftly focused on the attackers’ background, revealing they resided in Bonnyrigg, a Sydney suburb an hour from Bondi, but had moved to a short-term rental in Campsie days before the attack. Their family home in Bonnyrigg became a central point of the police inquiry, raided by heavily armed officers.

During the raid, three individuals emerged from the Bonnyrigg residence with their hands raised and were arrested, though they were subsequently released without charge. Police are still determining the ownership of the firearms used in the attack, although Sajid Akram was known to possess six registered firearms and held a recreational gun license.

Further details emerged regarding Naveed Akram, who had been investigated in 2019 for close ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State (IS) cell. Despite this, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed an assessment at the time concluded there was “no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence,” raising questions about the efficacy of prior intelligence.

The sudden tumult has profoundly unsettled the quiet suburban street where the Akrams lived. Lemanatua Fatu, a neighbour living opposite, described the shock of seeing armed police surround the home, recalling her daughter’s cries of alarm. “I saw the news – I thought oh my goodness, it can’t be them,” she stated, reflecting the disbelief gripping the community.

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Keywords: Bondi Beach shooting, Hanukkah attack Sydney, Sajid Akram Naveed Akram, Ahmed al Ahmed hero, Sydney terror incident, Bondi Beach tragedy, Islamic State cell Australia, Gun violence Sydney