A father and son have been identified as the alleged shooters in a terrorist attack at Sydney’s Bondi beach, as authorities confirm the death toll from the massacre has risen to 15, including one child. One of the gunmen was also confirmed dead.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the shooting was “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores”.
It was Australia’s worst mass shooting in 29 years.
Sajid Akram, 50, and son Naveed Akram, 24, have been identified as the alleged gunmen behind the attack. The older man was shot by police and died at the scene, while the 24-year-old suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard.
The NSW police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, told reporters that based on the younger man’s medical condition, it was likely he would face criminal charges.
The premier, Chris Minns, said the state government was looking to change gun laws in the state but was not ready to make an announcement on Monday.
“It means introducing a bill to parliament … making it more difficult to get these horrifying weapons that have no practical use in our community. If you’re not a farmer, you’re not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons to put the public in danger?”
Lanyon said Sajid Akram met the eligibility criteria for a recreational hunting licence. He held a “category A/B” license which entitled him to possess six long arms, some of which were allegedly used in the attack.
“He was a member of a gun club and was entitled by nature of the Firearms Act to have a firearms licence issued.”
Lanyon confirmed that police had fired a “number of shots” that killed the older man and injured his son.
A police statement on Monday said 14 people died at the scene, with two more dying in hospital overnight. They said 40 people were injured.
The child who died, a 10-year-old girl, was one of four children taken to Sydney children’s hospital following the attack. A 40-year-old man also died in hospital.
Those killed range in age from 10 to 87, police said.
Albanese said Bondi beach was a place associated with joy and celebrations but was “forever tarnished by what has occurred last evening”.
“This was an attack deliberately targeted at the Jewish community. On the first day of Hanukah, which of course should a joyous celebration and the Jewish community are hurting today.
“Today, all Australians wrap our arms around them. And say we stand with you. We will do whatever is necessary to stamp out antisemitism. It is a scourge and we’ll eradicate it together.”
Minns said there needed to be a time for mourning, and urged anyone who wanted to help in a practical way to donate blood.
The premiere said a memorial site had been established at the rear of the Bondi pavilion and he encouraged the public to lay flowers. He said there been a record numbers of inquiries about blood donations.
Lanyon confirmed on Monday that police were not looking for a third shooter.
What we know about the Bondi beach attack so far – video report
Lanyon told reporters that the younger man was known to police, but officers had no indication the attack was planned. He said the pair had been staying at an address in Campsie but their residential address was in Bonnyrigg. Both addresses were raided on Sunday. The older man had been in possession of a firearms licence for about 10 years.
Police declared the shooting a terrorist incident on Sunday. Laynon said police found two “basic” explosive devices at the scene.
“They were found to be active devices,” he said. “So they were taken back and rendered safe by our police, who do a professional job.”
Albanese said he and Minns attended a briefing with the domestic intelligence agency Asio, the Australian federal police and NSW police on Monday morning.
Minns said the national cabinet crisis committee would meet again on Monday afternoon, while the state crisis cabinet committee would meet daily this week.
Lanyon said 328 police officers would be on the ground in suburbs with significant Jewish populations on Monday under Operation Shelter.
Minns paid tribute to NSW Ambulance workers, including paramedics who treated patients under fire. The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, said police officers had stepped in to drive patients to hospital in ambulances.
The NSW Ambulance commissioner, Dr Dominic Morgan, said paramedics had learned “amazing lessons” from the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbings last year, including the use of “hot zones” to allow paramedics quick access to victims.
“The joint agency approach, the ability for paramedics with the support of police to work in these hot zones, I’m absolutely convinced, contributed to the saving of lives that otherwise would have been lost,” Morgan said on Monday.
Surf Live Saving NSW thanked volunteer lifesavers for “selflessly stepping forward during such a serious and tragic situation”, providing first aid and CPR, confirming that no lifesavers were injured during the attack.
NSW Health said 26 of the 40 injured people being treated across nine Sydney hospitals were in a stable condition. Seven people were in a critical condition, while four were in a critical but stable condition. Two people had been discharged on Monday morning, while one person had yet to be assessed.
Police said they had closed Bondi beach and surrounding roads on Monday to allow detectives from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team to investigate, but some people were walking and swimming at the beach early in the morning.
Items left behind by those fleeing the shooting were strewn along footpaths and parks: shopping bags, bike helmets, sandals and boxes of takeaway food.
Runners and dog walkers stopped or slowed as they neared the beach.
Video shows Hanukah celebrations moments before Bondi beach mass shooting – video
The prime minister and the leader of the opposition, Sussan Ley, visited Bondi beach on Monday morning.
The president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, said the attack showed “antisemitism has well and truly found a place here in our beloved country”.
“What we’ve seen has been the logical progression [of] demonising Jews with rhetoric which slowly builds up to acts of violence,” he said on Monday. “There’s been an immense failure and an investigation needs to come to grips with how that was allowed to take place.”
Ossip criticised the federal government’s response to antisemitism over the past two years.
Among those killed was London-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, who was assistant rabbi at Jewish cultural centre Chabad of Bondi; and Alex Kleytman, a Ukrainian-born Holocaust survivor. The Israeli foreign ministry said one of the victims was an Israeli citizen.
Among the injured was a bystander who tackled and wrestled a gun from one of the alleged gunmen.
In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and Griefline on 1300 845 745. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org