Bondi Beach Mass Shooting: 10-87 Year Olds Killed, Six Guns Recovered

A mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday left the iconic stretch of sand in shock, killing victims aged 10 to 87, including a Holocaust survivor.

The Tragedy Unfolds

The day began like any other Sunday at Bondi. Thousands gathered on the beach, soaking up the lingering summer warmth while a nearby Hanukkah celebration drew families of all faiths. Children enjoyed rides and bubble blowing at the event, known as Chanukah by the Sea, while adults relaxed on the sand.

Then, for minute after minute, gunfire erupted. Shots rang out as people ran screaming, pulling each other into buildings, under tables and down alleyways. Beach towels, picnic blankets and flip‑flops were left behind as crowds fled.

The violence shocked Australians not only because of its scale and the antisemitic extremism behind it, but also because it unfolded at a cultural landmark that has long represented the country’s laid‑back way of life.

Victims

The attack killed a range of people, from a 10‑year‑old child to an 87‑year‑old man. A Holocaust survivor was among those killed, according to the Australian newspaper.

Rebecca, 33, who declined to give her surname because she feared reprisals, was with her husband and two children when gunshots erupted. In tears the morning after the attack, she told The Associated Press: “I was just praying to God, ‘Please, don’t let us die. Please just keep my son safe,’” she said.

A man lying inches from her was shot in the chest. Rebecca’s 65‑year‑old mother‑in‑law used a piece of cardboard to apply pressure to his wound, but the man died. “One lady was to my side, and she was an elderly woman who couldn’t get down on the floor and they just shot her,” Rebecca added.

In footage supplied to AP by a member of the public who filmed it from a nearby hotel room, gunfire can be heard for at least seven minutes, totaling dozens of blasts.

Impact on the Community

Bondi is an affluent suburb close to downtown Sydney and part of the Waverley local government area, which is the centre of Sydney’s Jewish life. The beach’s reputation for community and togetherness was shattered.

Heather Norland, who was walking back from dinner with her husband and children when they heard the gunshots, told Australian Broadcasting Corp: “It’s really sad because Bondi is really (as) much about community and about people getting together.”

Janine Hall and her daughter laid flowers at a growing tribute spot overlooking the beach before heading down to the sand to swim. “I hope it’s an aberration and not the start of a change,” she told the AP, referring to countries where mass shootings are common, such as the United States. “Everyone keep their heads and don’t fight hatred with more hatred, because that’s just a one‑way ticket to nowhere, for everybody.”

Robert, who declined to give his last name, has lived in Bondi for 17 years. “Australia is untouched by a lot of things,” he said Monday. “No one was expecting this.”

In the aftermath of the violence, Australians also hailed the bravery of those who ran into the fray to help. They included a fruit seller identified by local news outlets as Ahmed al Ahmed, who appeared to tackle and disarm one of the gunmen before pointing the man’s weapon at him and then setting it on the ground.

The famous surf lifeguards of Bondi Beach are trained to save struggling swimmers. On Sunday they ran toward the gunfire, barefoot and clutching first aid kits as they sought to help the victims, Australian news outlets reported.

Law Enforcement and Recovery

The authorities said Monday that they had recovered six guns that were legally owned by one of the shooters, a 50‑year‑old man who was shot dead. His 24‑year‑old son was being treated at a hospital Monday.

The men haven’t been named by officials. But their motive appeared clear, Australia’s leaders said: a targeted attack on Australian Jews during joyful celebrations that marked the beginning of Hanukkah.

Mass shootings in Australia are rare. The death toll from Sunday’s massacre is the highest since a mass shooting in Port Arthur, Tasmania, in 1996, that made it all but impossible for Australians to obtain rapid‑fire rifles.

A knife attack last year at the nearby Bondi Junction shopping mall was initially feared to be an antisemitic attack, but authorities ruled out any political motive. In that episode, law enforcement shot dead Joel Cauchi, who had a history of mental illness, after he stabbed to death six people and wounded another 12 at the complex on a busy Saturday in April.

Key Takeaways

• Bondi Beach was the site of a mass shooting that killed people aged 10‑87, including a Holocaust survivor.
• Six legally owned guns were recovered from a 50‑year‑old shooter who was later killed; his 24‑year‑old son is hospitalized.
• The attack targeted Jewish families during a Hanukkah celebration, marking the highest death toll from an Australian mass shooting since 1996.

The tragedy has left Bondi and the wider Australian community in mourning, while prompting calls for stronger measures against antisemitism and a reevaluation of how such violent acts can be prevented in the future.