Bondi attack: Brave bystander risked life to jump and disarm shooter as 16 killed
Two gunmen, 16 dead, at least 40 injured, and one hero who put his life on the line to stop the rampage. This is how the Bondi terror attack unfolded as one of Sydney’s darkest days.
Terrorists have opened fire at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 innocent people and wounding at least 40 others, in one of the darkest days in Sydney’s history.
The gunmen, armed with high-powered rifles, opened fire from a footbridge connecting Campbell Pde to Bondi Pavilion about 6.47pm, spraying somewhere between 30 and 50 shots at their intended target of a gathering of Jewish families for the first night of Hanukkah.
One of the terrorists was killed by police who arrived on scene, while another was arrested and taken to hospital with critical injuries.
Naveed Akram has been confirmed as one of the shooters, with heavily-armed police raiding his home in Sydney’s west on Sunday night.
Police sources said the terrorists also threw two pipe bombs towards the crowd of more than 1,000, but the explosives did not detonate.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the incident a terror attack, said one of the men was known to them, and revealed police were investigating if a third man was possibly involved.
He also said officers had also discovered a car parked on Campbell Pde, inside which were further explosives.
Premier Chris Minns called the attack “a terrible night for Sydney” and said NSW Police would be given all the resources they needed for their investigation.
“This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah, what should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in that community with families and supporters, has been shattered by this horrifying evil attack,” Mr Minns said.
“There are things that tonight, I don’t have the answers to.
“I think it’s worth remembering that in all of this evil, in all of this sadness, there are still wonderful, brave Australians that are prepared to risk their lives to help a complete stranger.
“Anything NSW Police needs in terms of resources, we will provide them. We need to be in a situation where we are sending a clear and unambiguous message to the Jewish.”
Incredible video emerged shortly after the shooting of a heroic bystander tackling one of the attackers as he fired upon the crowds, before he managed to wrestle the gun from him, saving countless lives in the process.
Hundreds of NSW Police soon swarmed the streets, with one of the shooters believed to have been killed and another arrested.
A police officer who was among the first to arrive on scene is believed to have been shot multiple times in the torso, and was last night undergoing emergency surgery at St Vincent’s. Another officer was also injured.
The screech of police and NSW Ambulance sirens rang out throughout the eastern suburbs for hours after the gunfire had stopped, as a Westpac rescue helicopter hovered above the water.
Tim Hauschild, 26, was having beers with mates at the Lamrock Cafe bar across the road from the beach in the centre of Bondi when the gun shots started.
“We were just having a beer and what sounded like fireworks or gunshots ran out,” he said.
“We were like what the f**k and started to see people running, fleeing from the beach. It was 30 to 50 shots, a lot of shots.
“Then we were just trying to get the hell out of there,” Mr Hauschild said, saying his group ran back to their nearby rental – having just moved to Bondi Beach two weeks ago – to bunker down inside.
“Everyone is pretty rattled. All we can hear are helicopters and sirens,” he said, just after 7pm.
Footage showed bystanders desperately attempting to perform CPR on the wounded, while the faces of those who were already dead were covered in a bid to preserve their dignity.
One video showed a man stomping on the head of one of the gunmen moments after he had been detained.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urgently convened a meeting of the National Security Committee on Sunday night, with the national terror threat level remaining at “probable”.
He said that the attack had Bondi had been an attempt to “tear at our nation’s soul” but vowed Australians would stand with the Jewish community in condemning the terror.
“In this moment of darkness we must be each other’s light (and) hold on to the true character of the country that we love,” Mr Albanese said.
“Australia is stronger than the cowards who attacked innocent people today.
“Australia is braver than those who seek to make us afraid.”
Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory said the attack was a tragedy but “entirely foreseeable”.
“The Albanese government was warned so many times but failed to take adequate actions to protect the Jewish community,” he said.
“Tonight, many Jews are pondering whether they have a future in Australia,” he told the Telegraph.
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