Australia is mourning after its deadliest mass shooting in decades, when a father and son opened fire on crowds gathered for a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach’s Archer Park on Sunday evening.

The attack, which began just before 7 p.m., left fifteen people dead and forty injured, sending shockwaves through the nation and beyond. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as shots rang out from a nearby bridge, with families fleeing in panic and a heroic bystander tackling one of the gunmen in a desperate bid to stop the carnage.

The older attacker, a fifty-year-old man who first came to Australia on a student visa in 1998, was killed at the scene, while his twenty-four-year-old son, Naveed Akram, was critically injured and taken into custody. Police quickly ruled out speculation about a third shooter, confirming that the father and son acted alone. Among the victims were a ten-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, a retired policeman, and members of Sydney’s Jewish community, including rabbis and community leaders. Their deaths have left families shattered and a community grieving during what should have been a time of celebration.

Amid the horror, one man emerged as a symbol of courage. Ahmed al Ahmed, a fruit shop owner, wrestled a gun from one of the attackers and turned it against him. Shot twice in the process, he survived surgery and is now recovering, while a fundraising campaign in his name has already raised nearly £100,000. His bravery has been praised across Australia and internationally.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack as an act of evil antisemitism and terrorism, pledging to convene cabinet to consider tougher gun laws. He said Australia must be prepared to review licensing rules and ownership limits if existing laws are not strong enough, signaling a possible tightening of regulations that were already among the strictest in the world following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Global leaders responded with messages of solidarity and grief. Donald Trump described the attack as a terrible act of antisemitism and praised the heroism of al Ahmed. King Charles and Queen Camilla said they were appalled and saddened, while UK Labour leader Keir Starmer called the events sickening. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the killings as cold-blooded murder and reminded Albanese of earlier warnings about rising antisemitism. Condolences also came from Joe Biden and Barack Obama, underscoring the international resonance of the tragedy.

In Sydney, memorials have sprung up at the Bondi Pavilion, where flowers, Israeli and Australian flags, and songs of mourning have created a solemn atmosphere. Flags across the city are flying at half-mast, and thirty-eight victims remain hospitalized. Police commissioner Mal Lanyon urged calm and warned against retaliatory violence, stressing that there would be no tolerance for vindictive acts. Investigators are probing possible extremist motives after a black shahada flag was reportedly found in a car linked to the attackers, though details remain limited.

As the city grieves, the attack has reignited debates about gun control, multicultural harmony, and the rise of antisemitism worldwide. For Australia, it is a painful reminder of the fragility of peace and the enduring need to balance security with unity in a diverse society.