A mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration has been determined to be “a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State,” according to Australian federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett. The suspects, a father and son aged 50 and 24, were involved in the attack; the older man was shot dead by police, while the son remains hospitalized.
Bondi Beach Shooting Deemed Terrorist Attack
The confirmation of the suspects’ ideologies came during a news conference Tuesday led by political and law enforcement officials. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated the assessment was based on evidence, including “the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized.”
As of Tuesday, 25 people were still receiving treatment in hospitals following Sunday’s shooting, with 10 listed in critical condition. Three of those critically injured are patients in a children’s hospital.
A video circulating online shows a man tackling and disarming one of the assailants, then pointing the weapon away and setting it on the ground.
The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87 years old and were attending a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach when the shooting occurred.
Albanese and state leaders have pledged to tighten Australia’s gun laws, potentially enacting the most significant reforms since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which resulted in 35 deaths. Mass shootings have been rare in Australia since that event.
Officials addressed growing public concern regarding how the suspects were able to plan and carry out the attack, and whether the Jewish community had been adequately protected from rising antisemitism.
Albanese announced plans to further restrict access to firearms, noting that the older suspect legally obtained the six weapons used in the attack.
“The suspected murderers, callous in how they allegedly co-ordinated their attack, appeared to have no regard for the age or ableness of their victims,” Barrett said. “It appears the alleged killers were interested only in a quest for a death tally.”
Investigators have learned the suspects traveled to the Philippines last month. Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon stated the purpose of the trip and their specific destinations within the Philippines will be investigated.
A vehicle registered to the younger suspect contained improvised explosive devices and two homemade ISIS flags, Lanyon confirmed.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
