BONDI BEACH, AUSTRALIA, 14 Dec. - (ANA) - At least 12 people have been killed in a terror attack on Bondi Beach as more than a thousand people gathered to mark the first day of Hanukkah.

 

Two men opened fire in the attack at the tourist hotspot, with video from the scene showing people running for their lives amid the sound of gunfire.

 

One alleged gunman has been confirmed dead, while the other alleged gunman was in a critical condition, officers said.

 

At least 29 people - including two police officers and a child - are reported to injured.

 

It is the worst mass shooting in Australia for nearly 30 years.

 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the terror attack on the Hanukkah by the Sea celebration was devastating and a targeted attack on Jewish Australians.

 

The evil that was unleashed at Bondi Beach today is beyond comprehension, he added.

 

Speaking to his nation's Jewish population, Mr Albanese promised to dedicate every resource required to make sure they are protected.

 

 

 

 

Emergency services were called to Campbell Parade around 6.45pm local time after reports of shots being fired.

 

Two men opened fire in the attack on the Hanukkah by the Sea celebration, where more than a thousand people had gathered to mark the start of the Jewish holiday.

 

Dramatic footage apparently filmed by a member of the public showed someone appearing to disarm one of the gunman, before pointing the man's weapon at him.

 

Authorities said the men are thought to have been wielding long guns of some description, but did not provide further detail.

 

One of the alleged gunman was shot dead, police said, although it is not clear if he is among the death toll of 12 that is being reported. The second alleged gunman was in critical condition.

 

A number of suspicious items located in the vicinity were being examined by specialist officers and an exclusion zone is in place, police say.

 

Officers are investigating if there was a third offender.

 

One of the world's most famous beaches, Bondi is typically crowded with locals and tourists, especially on warm weekend evenings. It is currently summer in Australia.

 

"I saw at least 10 people on the ground and blood everywhere," 30-year-old local Harry Wilson, who witnessed the shooting, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

 

Lachlan Moran, 32, from Melbourne, was waiting for his family nearby when he heard shots. He dropped the beer he was carrying for his brother and ran.

 

"You heard a few pops, and I freaked out and ran away... I started sprinting. I just had that intuition. I sprinted as quickly as I could," he said. He said he heard shooting off and on for about five minutes.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/14 December 2025 - - -