Fifteen Killed as Father and Son Open Fire on Jewish Festival at Sydney’s Bondi Beach

Australia has been plunged into mourning after a father and son opened fire on a Jewish festival at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl, in what authorities have described as an antisemitic act of terrorism.

The shooting occurred on Sunday evening as crowds gathered at the popular beachside location to mark the start of Hanukkah. According to authorities, the attackers fired indiscriminately into the packed crowd, triggering scenes of panic as people fled across one of Australia’s most visited tourist spots.

Forty-two others were injured in the attack and rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds and other injuries, making it the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in nearly three decades. Police said the gunmen targeted the annual celebration, which had drawn more than 1,000 people, clearly intending to instil fear within the Jewish community.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the violence in the strongest terms on Monday, describing it as “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores.” He laid flowers at the Bondi Pavilion in tribute to the victims, as flags across the country were lowered to half-mast.

Investigators said the attackers fired from a raised boardwalk overlooking the beach, which was crowded with swimmers and families enjoying a warm summer evening. Armed with long-barrelled guns, they shot into the crowd for about 10 minutes before police intervened. The 50-year-old father was shot dead by officers at the scene, while his 24-year-old son was arrested and remains under police guard in hospital with serious injuries.

New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon said investigators were still working to determine the full motive behind the attack but stressed that it was designed to terrorise. Police later discovered a homemade bomb in a car parked near the beach, which they believe had been planted by the two attackers.

Rabbi Mendel Kastel confirmed that his brother-in-law was among those killed, describing the tragedy as shocking and unrepresentative of the country. He said the Jewish community would remain resilient despite the horror of the attack.

Amid the chaos, acts of bravery emerged as bystanders and off-duty emergency responders rushed toward danger to help the wounded. Footage shared by local media showed a man identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, a fruit seller, grappling with one of the gunmen and disarming him. Off-duty lifeguards were also seen sprinting across the sand to rescue children, drag the injured to safety, and perform CPR under fire. Surfboards were used as makeshift stretchers to carry bleeding victims away from the scene.

Witnesses described terrifying moments as the shooting unfolded. One tourist, Alban Baton, said he hid for hours inside a grocery store’s cool room as the scale of the violence slowly became clear. By Monday, personal belongings abandoned during the stampede littered the grassy hill overlooking the beach, as volunteers gathered shoes, bags, and other items left behind.

International condemnation quickly followed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Australia’s government of failing to adequately address rising antisemitism, while leaders from around the world expressed outrage. U.S. President Donald Trump described the shooting as a “purely antisemitic attack.”

The tragedy has reignited debate over gun control in Australia. Mass shootings have been rare since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which led to sweeping gun law reforms. However, Albanese said the government may need to consider tougher measures in the wake of the Bondi attack. Police confirmed that the father legally owned six licensed firearms, which they believe were used in the shooting.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions following a series of antisemitic incidents across Australia since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023. The government has previously accused Iran of orchestrating some of those attacks, including arson at Jewish sites in Sydney and Melbourne, allegations Tehran has denied. Iran’s foreign ministry nonetheless condemned Sunday’s violence in Sydney.

As investigations continue, authorities say their priority remains supporting the victims and their families while ensuring those responsible are fully accounted for under the law.