New South Wales Police say 16 people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed in a mass shooting at Bondi Beach on Sunday, in what authorities are treating as a terrorist attack.
Police said the victims’ ages range from 10 to 87. The shooting occurred while an event was being held to mark the start of Hanukkah, prompting investigators to classify the incident as a deliberate attack on the Jewish community.
According to police, the two gunmen were a father and son Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50. The 50-year-old suspect died at the scene, while his 24-year-old son remains in hospital in critical condition. Authorities said the older man was a registered gun club member and held a valid licence for long-arm firearms.
Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said Sajid Akram had been a licensed firearms holder for the past 10 years.
“He has six firearms licensed to him. We are satisfied that we have six firearms from the scene yesterday,” he said.
New South Wales Police confirmed that investigations are continuing, including forensic examinations and inquiries into how the weapons were used during the attack.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the shooting, calling it “an act of pure evil” and saying the attack had “deliberately targeted” the Jewish community. (Newswire)