Sunday marked the primary night time of Hannukah, and to rejoice, greater than 1,000 folks gathered at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, some dancing and banging drums. Others have been swimming within the ocean.
In just some hours, the seaside could be the location of Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly 30 years, leaving 15 folks lifeless in addition to one of many suspects.
The two suspected gunmen are 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was killed exchanging gunfire with police; and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who’s in custody on the hospital.
NCS has compiled a timeline of occasions primarily based on reporting, social media and native information retailers to doc the antisemitic assault that devastated Bondi’s strong Jewish neighborhood and shocked the world.
Before the principle assault started the place two gunman opened hearth on the occasion, two folks — a person and a lady — grappled with one of many attackers as he exits his automobile on Campbell Parade, the highway that runs alongside Sydney’s Bondi Beach, in line with dashcam video. The man and girl, who haven’t been recognized, have been fatally shot within the assault, in line with 9News.
Dashcam video exhibits bystanders confronting the Bondi Beach gunman
Australian police mentioned emergency providers have been known as to Campbell Parade simply earlier than 7 p.m. native time, to studies of gunshots.
Two people opened hearth on a “crowded group of families” at 6:47 p.m. native time, in line with New South Wales (NSW) Police.
Ten minutes later, at 6:57 p.m. native time, police mentioned on social media they have been responding to a “developing incident” on the seaside and urged the general public to keep away from the realm.
In an replace at 7:14 p.m. native time, police mentioned their “operation” was persevering with and requested folks within the space to “take shelter until we can determine what is happening.”
Man being hailed as a hero for tackling Sydney gunman
Social media footage geolocated by NCS exhibits how the deadly occasion unfolded over a 10-minute interval, though it’s unclear precisely what time the video was filmed.
The footage exhibits the 2 gunmen positioned on a small bridge subsequent to Campbell Parade, shooting towards the Hanukkah celebrations.
One gunman then walks down the steps of the bridge and towards a grassy space the place the celebrations have been being held. Another video geolocated by NCS captures the excellent second a bystander, who has since been named as 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, then wrestles the gun off the shooter, earlier than the gunman retreats to the bridge.
After almost 5 minutes of footage capturing the chaotic scenes, one gunman is shot lifeless and falls to the bottom whereas the opposite shooter continues to fireplace from the bridge.
Minutes after the primary gunman is shot, police could be seen within the video arriving on the bridge. At 7:37 p.m. native time, police introduced on social media that two folks have been in custody on the seaside.
At 9 p.m. native time, police confirmed an preliminary loss of life toll of 9 folks, which might later improve to no less than 15.
Police additionally confirmed presently that an alleged gunman was killed and the second alleged gunman was in a essential situation.
Around half an hour later, at 9:36 p.m. native time, a terrorist incident was declared. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese later denounced the shooting concentrating on the Jewish neighborhood, calling it “an act of pure evil.”
NCS’s Catherine Nicholls, Hilary Whiteman, Gianluca Mezzofiore and Helen Regan contributed to this report.