16 dead after father and son open fire on Australian beach in Jewish attack

Police say a father and son have been behind the horrific mass taking pictures that left 16 individuals lifeless, together with one of many gunmen, and hospitalized 40 individuals throughout a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Seaside in Sydney, Australia.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon mentioned at a press convention in Australia on Monday that it was a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son who carried out the phobia assault.

The daddy is lifeless, police mentioned, and the son is in crucial however secure situation at a hospital. Lanyon additionally mentioned they don’t seem to be searching for further suspects at the moment.

The daddy was a licensed gun proprietor with six legally registered firearms. All six firearms have been recovered, a few of which have been recovered on the scene. The others have been situated and recovered when investigators executed search warrants at two separate places, police mentioned.

ISRAELI OFFICIALS BLAME AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AFTER BONDI BEACH SHOOTING: ‘NUMEROUS WARNING SIGNS’

An investigation is underway after a lethal assault at a Hanukkah occasion at Bondi Seaside in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday. (David Grey/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)

The commissioner instructed reporters Monday afternoon that the daddy met the factors to qualify for a leisure looking license.

Nonetheless unidentified, the daddy was issued a class A/B firearms allow, permitting him to own the lengthy firearms he had registered.

Lanyon instructed police the arrest warrants have been executed at a property in Campsie and one other property in Bonnyrigg. He added that their residence handle was in Bonnyrigg, though they have been staying in Campsie.

The commissioner additionally instructed reporters that the daddy had had a gun license for ten years.

“There was little or no data of those males among the many authorities,” Lanyon mentioned. “It was decided that the person was entitled to a firearms allow and… the person had held a firearms allow for a lot of years with no incidents occurring.”

Two improvised explosive units (IEDs) have been additionally discovered on the scene of one of many houses the place search warrants have been executed. The IEDs have been seized by a rescue and bomb disposal unit and located to be lively. They have been then taken to security by the police.

AUSTRALIA’S JEWISH COMMUNITY ALARMED BY INCREASING ANTISEMITISM: ‘FEAR AND ANXIETY’

A healthcare employee strikes a stretcher after a taking pictures incident at Bondi Seaside in Sydney, Australia, on December 14, 2025. (Saeed Khan/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)

Lanyon famous that the IEDs have been “rudimentary” or pretty fundamental, though he additionally famous that he was grateful they weren’t detonated.

Police mentioned the victims of Sunday’s assault vary in age from 10 to 87 years previous.

The taking pictures occurred throughout an annual celebration referred to as ‘Chanukah By The Sea’. It was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. to rejoice the primary day of the Jewish vacation by lighting the primary candle on the Menorah. The taking pictures occurred round 6:45 PM native time.

Police say the assault “focused” the Jewish group and is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

No less than 40 individuals remained hospitalized after the taking pictures, together with two law enforcement officials, the company confirmed. The taking pictures is the worst assault on Jews because the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror assaults.

Police added that they discovered proof of a number of improvised explosive units in a car close to the scene of the assault.

“Now we have our bomb rescue unit working there in the meanwhile,” he mentioned.

Police cordon off an space at Bondi Seaside after a terrorist assault throughout a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, on December 14, 2025. (Mark Baker/AP Photograph)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the assault whereas talking at an occasion in Jerusalem the place he acknowledged the extraordinary achievements of immigrants on Sunday.

“At these moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vicious terrorists in a most brutal assault on Jews as they went to mild the primary candle of Hanukkah on Bondi Seaside,” Herzog mentioned. “Our hearts exit to them. The hearts of all the nation of Israel skip a beat at this second as we pray for the restoration of the injured, we pray for them and we pray for many who have misplaced their lives.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Herzog additionally known as on the Australian authorities to “take motion and struggle towards the large wave of anti-Semitism sweeping Australian society.”