Licensed Guns, Hidden Extremism: How a Sydney Father and Son Planned the Hanukkah Attack
Fruit Seller Turned Gunman: How a Father and Son Carried Out Sydney’s Deadliest Attack in Decades: Australia is reeling after a deadly mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening left at least 15 people dead and more than 40 injured in what authorities have described as a targeted anti-Semitic terrorist attack.
The violence erupted around 6:30 p.m. during a Chabad-organized “Chanukah by the Sea” event at Archer Park, where approximately 1,000 people had gathered to mark the first night of Hanukkah. Witnesses said two gunmen opened fire from a nearby footbridge, spraying the crowd below with gunfire for more than ten minutes and triggering scenes of chaos and terror.
Police identified the attackers as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram. Sajid was killed at the scene after being shot by police, while Naveed was critically injured and remains under guard in hospital. Authorities say charges will be laid once he is medically fit.
According to investigators, Sajid Akram was a licensed firearm owner who had legally possessed a Category A/B firearms license for a decade. All six weapons used in the attack were registered in his name. Sajid, a fruit shop owner, had migrated to Australia in 1998, while his son Naveed was Australian-born and had previously worked as a bricklayer.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Naveed Akram had been investigated by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation in 2019 over potential extremist associations, though no evidence of an imminent attack was identified at that time.
Among those killed were a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, and Chabad Assistant Rabbi Eli Schlenger, who had helped organize the event. Many of the wounded remain in critical condition, with hospitals across Sydney operating under emergency protocols.
Amid the horror, acts of bravery emerged. Video footage captured local fruit vendor Ahmed Al Ahmed tackling one of the attackers, disarming him and throwing the weapon aside before being injured himself. Al Ahmed has been widely praised as a hero, and a public fundraiser established in his name has already raised millions of dollars.
On Monday morning, Prime Minister Albanese visited the site to lay flowers, calling the attack “a dark day for the nation.”
“This was an act of pure evil — of anti-Semitism and terrorism,” he said. “Australia stands with the Jewish community. Hatred has no place in our country.”
The Prime Minister also renewed calls for tougher gun laws and stronger measures to combat extremist violence, as the nation mourns one of the deadliest mass-casualty attacks in its history.
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