Father‑Son Duo Kills 15 in Bondi Beach Hanukkah Shooting

On Sunday, a gunman and his son opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people, including a child, and leaving a nation in shock.

The Shooting

Emergency services were called at about 6:45 p.m. after reports of shots. Video footage shows two men in black shirts firing long guns from a footbridge overlooking the beach. One clip, broadcast on Australian television, captured a man tackling and disarming one gunman before pointing the weapon at him and setting it on the ground. The father, a 50‑year‑old man, was fatally shot by police, while his 24‑year‑old son was wounded and taken to a hospital.

Police said one gunman was known to security services, but there was no indication of a planned attack. Authorities are not looking for anyone else in connection with the massacre.

Victims and Response

Officials confirmed that 15 people were killed, with ages ranging from 10 to 87. At least 42 others were being treated at hospitals, several in critical condition. The victims have not been publicly named by Australian authorities, but local reports emerged that one was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, an assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and organizer of the event. Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of an Israeli citizen, and French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a French citizen, Dan Elkayam, was among those killed.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic. Arsen Ostrovsky, a lawyer who had just arrived from Israel two weeks earlier to work for a Jewish advocacy group, was grazed in the head by a bullet. He wrote, “I never thought would be possible here in Australia.” Lachlan Moran, 32, from Melbourne, said he was waiting for his family when he heard the shots. “I sprinted as quickly as I could,” Moran told the Associated Press. He added that shooting continued for about five minutes, forcing people to drop possessions and flee.

A fruit‑shop owner, Ahmed al Ahmed, was identified by relatives as a hero who tackled one of the gunmen. He has been called a “genuine hero” by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns.

Political Reactions

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations.” He added, “It is forever tarnished by what has occurred.”

Albanese vowed that the violence would be met with a “moment of national unity where Australians across the board will embrace their fellow Australians of Jewish faith.” Some political opponents and Israel’s government accused him of not doing enough to prevent such a horror.

Australia, with a population of 28 million, is home to about 117,000 Jews. Antisemitic incidents surged more than threefold in the year after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel launched a war on Gaza. Last year, the country experienced antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne, including synagogue arson and vandalism.

Albanese blamed Iran for two of the attacks and cut diplomatic ties to Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Australia months earlier about the dangers of failing to act against antisemitism, claiming that Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state “pours fuel on the antisemitic fire.” Netanyahu said, “Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia … and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today.”

Investigation and Aftermath

Mal Lanyon, New South Wales police commissioner, pledged a “thorough” investigation. Two improvised explosive devices were found at the scene; bomb disposal experts rendered them safe. Lanyon described the devices as “rudimentary” that would have been detonated by a wick rather than a phone or electronically.

Premier Chris Minns said there would “almost certainly” be gun law changes after the massacre. The 50‑year‑old gunman had six firearms when law enforcement raided the property where he had been staying. Questions arose about how he acquired them, especially given Australia’s strict gun laws following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which prompted a tightening of gun regulations.

Other mass shootings in Australia this century included two murder‑suicides in 2014 and 2018, each killing five and seven people respectively, and a 2022 shootout between police and Christian extremists in Queensland that killed six.

Key Takeaways

• 15 people were killed, including a child, during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.
• The shooters were a 50‑year‑old father and his 24‑year‑old son; the father was shot dead by police.
• Two rudimentary improvised explosive devices were found and rendered safe.
• The incident has prompted calls for gun law reform and a national response to antisemitism.

Closing

The Bondi Beach shooting has sent shockwaves through Australia and the international community. Leaders worldwide, including King Charles III, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the Jewish community. As investigations continue, the nation grapples with questions of security, gun control, and the rising tide of antisemitic sentiment.