It was a night that promised to bring 'joy and light' to Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, where crowds of Jewish families gathered at a park to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, also known as the festival of light. They were among thousands of other swimmers, surfers and sunbathers who had flocked to Australia's most famous beach on a scorching summer's afternoon.
However, just after the Hanukkah event commenced at 17:00 local time, festive music was drowned out by screams and gunfire. Although the exact moment the first shot was fired remains unclear, police received the first distress call at 18:47. In the ensuing minutes, two gunmen allegedly killed at least 15 people and injured dozens more, according to authorities.
A local high school teacher, Chavi, recounted dropping to the ground with her baby as 'bullets were flying above us.' Another attendee, Barry, described the frantic atmosphere as 'pandemonium and chaos,' with people scrambling to escape the unfolding nightmare.
Verified footage captured the stark contrast between the joyful music of the Hanukkah celebration and the sound of gunfire, while scenes showed people taking cover and attempting to shield children from the horror. The panic quickly spread beyond the park to the beach, where terrified beachgoers fled from the gunfire, resulting in chaotic scenes of car crashes and ambulance sirens.
Following a nearly 11-minute video timeline of the event, two men have been identified: Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24. They reportedly used a pedestrian bridge for an elevated attack before engaging in a stand-off with police. Eyewitnesses later captured moments when a passerby, Ahmed al Ahmed, disarmed one of the gunmen, saving countless lives before he was shot himself.
Despite brave interventions, Sajid Akram was found deceased at the scene, while his son is currently hospitalized. The investigation into the motives remains ongoing, as the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event.
