Bondi Beach terror attack – what we know so far

14 December 2025 by Searchlight Correspondent

Shooters on the bridge Bondi Beach — Shooters at Bondi Beach open fire on Jewish celebration

Sydney’s Bondi Beach was a site of horror on Sunday evening when gunmen opened fire on crowds gathered for a Jewish celebration in what police believe was an attack by Islamic extremists.

At least 12 people were killed and 29 others injured, among them a child and two police officers. One suspected gunman was shot dead at the scene, while another remains in custody.

Jewish event

The attack unfolded around 6:47 p.m. at Archer Park, adjacent to the beach, where more than 1,000 people had gathered for Hanukkah by the Sea, a high profile Jewish communal event marking the first night of Hanukkah.

People flee Bondi Beach shooters

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as families fled in panic, mistaking the initial gunfire for fireworks.

Videos circulating online show two attackers firing from a bridge overlooking the beach, sending crowds scrambling for safety.

Cowardly act

Authorities have declared the shooting a terrorist incident, with New South Wales Premier Chris Minns condemning it as a “cowardly act of terrifying violence.” He emphasized that the assault deliberately targeted Sydney’s Jewish community, turning what should have been a night of joy into tragedy.

Accounts from survivors paint a picture of pandemonium. One witness recalled opening a café to shelter fleeing families, including pregnant women and children. Another described seeing “blood everywhere” as victims lay on the ground.

Remarkable bravery

Video footage shows a civilian, in a remarkable act of bravery, apparently tackling one of the gunmen and briefly seizing his weapon, potentially preventing further carnage.

The civilian who disarmed the shooter has since been identified as 43-year-old local fruit shop owner Ahmed Al-Ahmed, though this has not yet ben confirmed by police. He was reportedly shot during the encounter and has been hospitalised.

Bondi Beach shooters — One of the Bondi Beach shooters fires from behind a tree

He is tackled from behind by a civilian who takes his gun

Without his gun, he runs back towards the bridge where the other shooter is firing from.

The second shooter fires from the bridge

Shooters on the bridge Bondi Beach — The first shooter is down

Bondi Beach shooter wrestled to the ground — The second shooter is wrestled to the ground by police and civilians

One of the suspected gunmen has been identified as 24-year-old Naveed Akram, from Bonnyrigg, a suburb of Sydney. It is unclear if he has been killed.

Police operations are ongoing with reports that private properties have been raided and searched.

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