Mass shooting at Bondi Beach leaves dozens dead and wounded as Jewish families flee Hannukah celebration

At least 12 people are dead and 29 others have been hospitalized after gunmen opened fire on families gathered for a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, in what authorities have declared a terrorist attack targeting Australia’s Jewish community

Per the BBC, the shooting erupted at around 6:45 pm local time, striking the “Chanukah by the Sea” event organized by Chabad of Bondi. More than a thousand people had gathered at Archer Park near the northern end of the beach to light the first candle of the holiday, before gunshots and screams turned the festive gathering into a scene of terror.

Witnesses described two men dressed in black firing into the crowd from a bridge overlooking the celebration. Videos circulating on social media show panicked families fleeing the scene as gunshots ring out in the air, with one featuring a man in white tackling one of the gunmen and taking away his weapon, potentially saving many lives.

“Not in a million years did I think something like a shooting would happen in Bondi,” said Marcos Carvalho, an eyewitness attending the event. “I started running for my life towards the North Bondi Grassy Knoll.” After the police took one of the suspects in custody, the other having been killed, Carvalho passed the area where the shooting had taken place and saw “bodies lying on the floor.”

Australian authorities are investigating the possibility of a third suspect, since a pipe bomb was also discovered near a vehicle. The explosive devices have since been found and secured.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the scenes “shocking and distressing” and convened his national security committee. The massacre marks Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy, which prompted the nation’s strict gun control laws. According to a report by The Guardian, the government’s special envoy to combat antisemitism has called for a similar nationwide reaction on the scale of the reforms that followed the 1996 massacre.

As of writing this, no clear motive has been established, but authorities are treating the attack as an act of terrorism targeting Sydney’s Jewish community. As stated earlier, 12 people have died, and 29 have been hospitalized, with injuries described as severe.

Bondi Beach, one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks, remains closed as investigators sort through the details. Authorities have urged anyone with relevant footage or information to come forward.