SYDNEY: An attack by a father and son on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people, throwing Australia into a day of mourning on Monday.
Here’s what we know:
Shot at Bondi
Emergency services responded to reports of shots fired at 18.47 (0747 GMT) Sunday at Bondi Beach, one of the biggest tourist attractions in Australia’s largest city.
The shooting occurred during an annual event to celebrate Hanukkah, which police said was attended by about 1,000 people.
Casualties
Police say the attackers fired into the crowds, killing 15 people ranging in age from 10 to 87.
The youngest victim, a 10-year-old girl, later died at a children’s hospital, while 42 people were hospitalized overnight, including five in a critical condition.
Among them are two police officers who were injured in a shootout with gunmen.
Attackers
Police say one of the assailants was a 50-year-old father who was shot and killed in a shootout with officers.
The other was his 24-year-old son, who is in a critical condition in hospital under police guard.
Australian media named them as Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram.
In a statement, police said the pair used “long arms to shoot into crowds of people”.
The father was licensed to keep six guns, all of which police say were used in the shooting.
Police do not believe anyone else was involved.
Terrorism
The attack was declared a terrorist incident at 21:36 (1036 GMT) by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns.
As a result, federal and police launched a joint counter-terrorism operation.
Global condemnations
The attack sparked worldwide condemnation, led by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who described it as an act of “pure evil”.
US President Donald Trump said it was a “purely anti-Semitic attack”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Australia’s government of “adding fuel to the fire of anti-Semitism” by not acting strongly enough before the shooting.
