12 people died in the attack, including one of the alleged perpetrators. The second one is in police custody – he suffered serious injuries and his condition is critical. 12 other people were injured, including two policemen. In addition, an improvised explosive device was probably found at the scene and is currently being examined by sappers. The police are trying to find the third attacker.
It all started on a warm Australian evening. This Sunday, Bondi – one of the most popular beaches in Sydney – looked like a picture of idyll with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius and the setting sun. Families sat on the sand, children played in the water, tourists walked along the promenade. Suddenly shots rang out.
Deliberate attack
A video is circulating online showing one of the men grabbing the gun from the attacker's hands, trying to neutralize him.
There are also other videos from the scene – they show people running from the beach, lying on the ground, and rescuers kneeling next to them. These are scenes that are usually associated with other countries rather than Australia – Here, there are strict regulations regarding firearms and acts of violence involving firearms are relatively rare.
The rescue services said they were alerted at 18.45 local time (8.45 in Poland). They initially confirmed that six people with gunshot wounds were transported to area hospitals. A little later, the number of deaths and injuries increased. 25 rescue units took part in the operation, and helicopters were also deployed.
The time and place of the attack are significant – the beach was the site of an event organized by the Jewish community to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, which this year lasts until December 22. Hundreds of people gathered there, including many families with children.
Alex Rywchin, co-executive director of the Executive Council of Australian Jews (ECAJ), told radio station 2GB that the attack occurred during the event. The organization's media director was injured.
— Hundreds of people gathered. It's a family event, Rywchin said. – They heard a bang. People just started running, jumping over barriers, grabbing children. Chaos ensued. I don't think this is a coincidence. “I think it was a very conscious and very deliberate attack,” he added. A few hours later, the police classified it as a terrorist attack.
A painful memory
One eyewitness to the event told the ABC public television station that the attack lasted about 10 minutes. He said it was “absolute hell on earth” — there were people lying in pools of blood around him. Another man told the ABC he saw two men dressed in black standing on a footbridge near the parking lot and shooting at people gathered in the park.
There was also panic in restaurants overlooking the beach. Elizabeth Mealey, a former journalist and Randwick resident, was sitting in the Icebergs restaurant when she heard gunshots. “We thought it was fireworks, but it wasn't. It was something much worse – she told ABC.—People started running up the beach. Panic set in.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke of the “shocking and disturbing” scenes. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns also said he was “deeply moved” by the reports and photos.
Armed police officers after a shooting on Bondi Beach in Sydney, December 14, 2025.DAVID GRAY / AFP / AFP
The attack brings back painful memories for many Australians. Not so long ago, in April 2024, another case shook the Bondi district. On April 13, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi attacked random people with a knife in the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center. Six people were killed and at least 12 were injured, including an infant. The perpetrator, who suffered from schizophrenia, was shot by police officer Amy Scott at the scene.
Another act of violence in Australia occurred during an already tense situation there. In August, Albanese announced the historic diplomatic move of expelling Iran's ambassador — the first time since World War II. At the same time, Canberra closed its embassy in Tehran.
According to the government, Iran allegedly masterminded at least two attacks on Jewish institutions in Australia: to the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and the Lewis' Continental Kitchen restaurant in Sydney. Tehran rejected these allegations. It is currently unknown whether the shootings in Bondi are directly related to these allegations. The police did not comment on this matter.
On a daily basis, Bondi Beach symbolizes Australian carefreeness, freedom and joy of life. The fact that right here, on a warm Sunday evening, people are fighting for their lives, shocked the whole country. While investigators examine the circumstances and motives of the attack, there remains a feeling that Australia, previously largely spared from such violence, is becoming increasingly vulnerable to it.
