16 Confirmed Dead & 40+ Injured In Tragic Mass Shooting On Bondi Beach

Sydney is reeling after the tragic mass shooting at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening, which left sixteen people dead, and more than forty injured.

NSW Police began responding to reports of an active shooter at the beach around 6:40pm, with footage from the scene showing two men firing what appeared to be rifles from the pedestrian bridge between Campbell Parade and Bondi Pavilion.

On Monday morning, Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed the deaths of 16 people, including a 10-year-old who died at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick.

Another 40 people were injured, including four children who were transferred to Sydney Children’s Hospital, and two police officers, who are in hospital in a serious but stable condition with gunshot wounds.

One of the gunmen, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, died at the scene, while the other attacker, his son, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, remains under police guard in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

Mass shooting incident confirmed as terrorist attack

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the shooting a terrorist incident, targeting an event marking the first day of Hanukkah, with at least 1,000 people in attendance.

He said several improvised explosive devices were found in a car on Campbell Parade, linked to Sajid Akram, with the rescue bomb disposal unit taking appropriate action and rendering the devices safe.

The elder Akram owned a fruit shop, and was a licensed firearm holder with six guns legally in his possession.

Head of the ultra-Orthodox Chabad mission, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, has been confirmed as the first victim. He is survived by his wife and five young children.

Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor and Ukraine native, “died shielding [his wife] from the gunman’s bullets”, according to reports from Chabad on Monday morning.

Hero bystander disarms gunman

Incredible footage from during the incident shows a civilian in a light-coloured shirt tackling one of the shooters, managing to quickly disarm him.

The gunman is pushed to the ground, with the man pointing the the weapon at him, while shots can be heard from the second shooter still on the bridge.

As the shooter retreats, the civilian places the gun against a tree, holding his other hand up.

A second person, also appearing to be a civilian, runs towards the unarmed shooter and throws an object at him, before he and the other man take cover behind a tree.

The man in the light T-shirt, who has since been identified as 43-year-old father of two, Ahmed al Ahmed. He was shot in the shoulder and the hand during the attack, undergoing surgery at St George Hospital.

Premier Chris Minns said that the video was “the most unbelievable scene I’ve ever seen”.

“[It shows] a man walking up to a gunman who had fired on the community and single-handedly disarming him, putting his own life at risk to save the lives of countless other people,” the premier said.

“That man is a genuine hero, and I’ve got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery.”

Politicians and community members condemn Bondi mass shooting

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack an “act of evil antisemitism”.

“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian,” he said.

“The Jewish community are hurting today. Today, all Australians wrap our arms around them and say, we stand with you. We will do whatever is necessary to stamp out antisemitism. It is a scourge and we will eradicate it together.

“Australia will never submit to division, violence or hatred and we will come through this together. We refuse to let them divide us as a nation”

The Jewish Council of Australia issued a statement saying that many people in the Jewish community had “just received the worst news of their life”.

“This is the first night of Chanukah when we gather with loved ones and friends to light the Chanukiah,” the advocacy group said in a post on social media.

“To be confronted with this horrific act of antisemitic violence during the Jewish festival of light and hope is shattering.

“Our hearts are with our friends, family, fellow community members and everyone impacted by this terrifying event.”

The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network said they were “devastated and angered” by the attack, and sent their “love, care and solidarity to all of those who were killed and injured and all who are affected by this violence”.

APAN is devastated and angered by the mass shooting aimed at a Jewish community Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach tonight. We send our love, care and solidarity to all of those who were killed and injured and all who are affected by this violence. This attack is a cause of deep… pic.twitter.com/4UMvRnsxHv

— APAN (@APAN4Palestine) December 14, 2025

“This attack is a cause of deep pain for us all,” they said. “We are living in profoundly violent times. We can only counter this by coming together at every opportunity: everyone, here and elsewhere around the world, must be able to live free from harm and fear.”

They also called for “a collective commitment to rejecting violence and fostering a society and a world grounded in dignity, safety, and care for one another.”

Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh said the community was heartbroken by the “depraved and deplorable terror attack on the Jewish community.”

“To kill and maim innocent attendees, within a suburb known for its proud Jewish community, must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he said.

“As a community, we must stand firm together in solidarity to honour the victims and survivors and support each other.”

The Council commended the number of police and emergency service personnel, as well as community first responders, surf lifesavers, Council staff and community members, who provided support in the immediate

Bondi Beach will remain closed while investigations are continuing, and the public are requested not to visit the area.