Father, Son Kill 15 At Hanukkah Event In Australia

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (Worthy News) – Australian police said Monday that a father and son carried out a deadly antisemitic terror attack at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and wounding about 40 others, in what officials described as the country’s worst gun violence in nearly three decades.

Authorities said the 50-year-old father was shot dead at the scene, bringing the total death toll to 16, while his 24-year-old son remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Police said the shooting occurred during a public religious celebration attended by families, children, and elderly members of the Jewish community.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said investigators were not searching for additional suspects and confirmed that the attack involved only two assailants.

“We are satisfied that there were two offenders involved in yesterday’s incident,” Lanyon told reporters. “One is deceased, the second is in critical but stable condition in the hospital. The offenders are a 50-year-old and a 24-year-old male who are father and son.”

Authorities said the shooting was being treated as a targeted antisemitic terror attack, prompting heightened security at Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centers across Australia. Police stressed there was no ongoing threat to the public.

SURVIVORS DESCRIBE SUSTAINED GUNFIRE

A Jewish survivor said the attack lasted around 20 minutes, with the gunmen firing from two separate positions near a pedestrian bridge overlooking the beach.

“There were two shooters — one on the bridge, one under the bridge,” the man recalled. “They just kept shooting, changing magazines, and shooting again.”

Witnesses said bodies were visible across the beach as families fled, hid behind tents, or shielded children from gunfire while awaiting police intervention.

Emergency responders treated dozens of wounded victims at the scene before transporting them to nearby hospitals.

Jewish leaders said the attack intensified concerns about rising antisemitism, which has increased since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.

They said Sunday’s massacre shattered a sense of safety during what should have been a joyful religious celebration and renewed calls for stronger protection of Jewish communities across Australia.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ANGER OVER ATTACK

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the shooting as an act of hatred and terror, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and to Australia’s Jewish community.

He pledged full government support for the investigation and said authorities would ensure increased security around religious and cultural events nationwide.

International reaction was swift, with Israeli officials condemning the attack as a heinous act of antisemitic terror and expressing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.

The U.S. State Department said it was horrified by the violence and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to combating antisemitism worldwide. European leaders also condemned the shooting, describing it as an assault on religious freedom and offering condolences to the victims’ families.

Australia has not experienced mass-casualty gun violence on this scale since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which led to sweeping national gun-control reforms.

Police said counter-terrorism investigators are examining the attackers’ motive, planning, and ideological influences, while stressing again that there is no continuing threat to the public.

Jewish representatives urged authorities to ensure robust security at religious and cultural events, warning that Jewish communities increasingly feel exposed during public gatherings.

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