Sydney: Australian authorities have confirmed the identities of the two men responsible for a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah gathering near Sydney’s Bondi Beach, describing the incident as a deliberate antisemitic attack carried out by a father and his adult son.
New South Wales Police said on Monday that the suspects acted alone and that investigators are no longer searching for additional attackers. The older man, aged 50, was shot dead by police at the scene, bringing the total number of fatalities to 16. His 24-year-old son remains in hospital in critical condition after being injured during the confrontation.
Local media, including the national broadcaster ABC, identified the pair as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram. According to federal authorities, the father arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa, while his son was born in Australia and holds citizenship.
The attack unfolded on Sunday evening during a Hanukkah event held in a small park close to Bondi Beach, an area crowded with locals and visitors due to warm weather. Police estimate that about 1,000 people were attending the celebration when gunfire erupted, triggering panic as crowds fled across the sand and into surrounding streets. Witnesses said the violence lasted roughly 10 minutes.
Forty people remain hospitalized, including two police officers who were injured while responding to the incident. Officials said their condition is serious but stable. Those hurt range in age from 10 to 87.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb said officers encountered the attackers during the assault, fatally shooting one suspect and taking the second into custody after he was wounded. “Based on the progress of our investigation, we are confident there were only two offenders involved,” a senior police official told reporters.
International media outlets, citing briefings from U.S. intelligence officials, have reported that the suspects were likely of Pakistani background. Australian authorities have not publicly confirmed those details, nor have they commented on the authenticity of images circulating online that allegedly show one suspect’s driver’s licence.
While investigators continue to examine the motive, officials have stopped short of formally labeling the shooting as an act of terrorism. In the meantime, security has been tightened around Jewish community events nationwide, and authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation as the investigation remains ongoing.
Government leaders condemned the attack, calling it an assault on both the Jewish community and Australia’s core values, and pledged full support to those affected.
