Two alleged gunmen who killed 15 individuals at a Jewish celebration in Sydney’s Bondi Seashore have been a father and son, police mentioned on Monday (December 15, 2025), as Australia mourned victims of its worst gun violence in nearly 30 years.
The daddy, a 50-year-old, was killed on the scene, taking the variety of useless to 16, whereas his 24-year-old son was in important situation within the hospital, police mentioned at a press convention on Monday. Officers have described the taking pictures on Sunday as a focused antisemitic assault.
Forty individuals stay in hospital following the assault, together with two law enforcement officials who’re in a critical however secure situation, police mentioned. The victims have been aged between 10 and 87.
Witnesses mentioned the assault on the famed seashore, which was packed on a scorching night, lasted about 10 minutes, sending a whole bunch of individuals scattering alongside the sand and into close by streets and parks.
Police mentioned round 1,000 individuals had attended the focused Hanukkah occasion, which was held in a small park off the seashore. A bystander captured on video tackling and disarming an armed man throughout the assault has been hailed as a hero whose actions saved lives. Channel Seven named him as Ahmed al Ahmed, citing a relative, who mentioned the 43-year-old fruit store proprietor had been shot twice and had undergone surgical procedure.
Police haven’t mentioned what weapons have been concerned within the assault, however video from the scene confirmed the lads firing what gave the impression to be a bolt-action rifle and a shotgun.
Bondi native Morgan Gabriel, 27, mentioned she had been heading to a close-by cinema when she heard what she thought have been fireworks, earlier than individuals began working up her road.
“I sheltered about six or seven. Two of them have been really my shut pals, and the remaining have been simply those that have been on the road. However individuals, their telephones had been left down the seashore, and everybody was simply attempting to get away,” she mentioned.
“It’s a really unhappy time this morning… Usually, like on a Monday or any morning, it’s packed. Individuals are swimming, browsing, working. So that is very, very quiet. And there’s positively a solemn type of vibe.”
World leaders condemn assault
Authorities mentioned they have been assured solely two attackers have been concerned within the incident, after beforehand saying they have been checking whether or not a 3rd offender was concerned.
Police investigations are ongoing and police numbers have been elevated in Jewish communities.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Bondi Seashore on Monday morning and laid flowers close to the scene of the assault, whereas some mourners carrying kippah, or skullcaps worn by some Jewish males, have been seen putting candles and establishing tribute websites.
Mr. Albanese earlier referred to as the assault a “darkish second for our nation,” and mentioned police and safety companies have been totally checking the motive behind the assault.
“What we noticed yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location,” Mr. Albanese instructed reporters.
“The Jewish neighborhood are hurting at present. Immediately, all Australians wrap our arms round them and say, we stand with you. We are going to do no matter is important to stamp out antisemitism. It’s a scourge, and we are going to eradicate it collectively.” Mr. Albanese mentioned a number of world leaders together with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron had reached out and he thanked them for his or her solidarity.
“In Australia, there was a horrible assault … and that was an antisemitic assault clearly,” Mr. Trump mentioned throughout a Christmas reception on the White Home on Sunday, paying his respects to victims of the assault at Bondi and one other taking pictures at Rhode Island’s Brown College.
Sunday’s shootings have been probably the most critical in a string of antisemitic assaults on synagogues, buildings and automobiles in Australia because the starting of Israel’s conflict in Gaza in October 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned he had warned Mr. Albanese that Australia’s help for Palestinian statehood would gasoline antisemitism. In August, Australia accused Iran of directing not less than two antisemitic assaults and gave Tehran’s ambassador every week to go away the nation.
‘Noticed our bodies on the bottom’
Lots of of police personnel have been at Bondi Seashore on Monday as locals, witnesses and officers visited a makeshift memorial close to the seashore’s well-known pavilion. “We have been within the water and subsequent second we see individuals laying on the ground, a child was shot, it was most likely the worst factor I’ve ever seen,” mentioned Trent Tur, an 18-year-old lifesaver.
“Truthfully, it’s horrible. As a neighborhood we are able to transfer ahead from this, will probably be laborious however the spirit, the Australian spirit in Bondi could be very excessive and we are able to transfer ahead.”
Rabbi Mendel Kastel, whose brother-in-law Eli Schlanger was killed in Sunday’s assault, mentioned it had been a harrowing night.
“You’ll be able to very simply turn out to be very offended and attempt to blame individuals, activate individuals however that’s not what that is about. It’s a few neighborhood,” he mentioned.
“We have to step up at a time like this, be there for one another, and are available collectively. And we are going to, and we are going to get by this, and we all know that. The Australian neighborhood will assist us do it,” he added.
Native girl Danielle, who declined to provide her surname, was on the seashore when the taking pictures occurred and raced to gather her daughter, who was attending a bar mitzvah at a perform centre close to the place the alleged shooters have been positioned.
“I heard there was a taking pictures so I bolted there to get my daughter, I might hear gunshots, I noticed our bodies on the bottom. We’re used to being scared, we’ve felt this manner since October 7.” Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing round 1,200 individuals, in keeping with Israeli tallies. The assault precipitated Israel’s conflict in Gaza, which has killed greater than 70,000 Palestinians, in keeping with Gaza well being authorities.
Australia’s Jewish diaspora is small however deeply embedded within the wider neighborhood, with about 150,000 individuals who determine as Jewish within the nation of 27 million. About one-third of them are estimated to stay in Sydney’s jap suburbs, together with Bondi. Main cities together with Berlin, London and New York stepped up safety round Hanukkah occasions on Sunday following the assault at Bondi.
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