The 50-year-old attacker was shot dead on the spot. His 24-year-old son remains in critical condition in hospital. About 40 more people were hospitalized, including two police officers. The age of the victims ranged from 10 to 87 years. Eyewitnesses said the shooting continued for about 10 minutes on the crowded beach. One bystander subdued the armed assailant before suffering gunshot wounds. His actions, according to authorities, saved lives.
The shooting father had a gun license since 2015 and owned six registered guns, police said. Law enforcement officials said one of the attackers had previously come to the attention of intelligence agencies, but was not considered an immediate threat. Australian media named the suspects – Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram.
Flags of the terrorist organization “Islamic State” were found at the scene. Police are investigating the motive for the crime and the origin of the weapon.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the incident an act of terrorism and anti-Semitism. He said the government would consider restrictions on the number of weapons allowed under a license, as well as the length of its validity.
The incident was Australia's worst mass shooting since 1996, when 35 people were killed in Port Arthur. The attack comes amid a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the country since the outbreak of the Gaza War in October 2023.
Context
The media reported the shooting on the beach on December 14. It occurred during an event marking the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
