2 days ago
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At about 5pm, the “Chanukah by the Sea” event begins at Archer Park, a small, grassy area at the back of Bondi beach. The park is just north of Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving club, and has several small shelters for picnics and a children’s playground. Chanukah by the Sea is a regular event for Bondi’s large Jewish community, to mark the beginning of the religious festival. The event has been advertised on social media.
Video from the event shows a carnival atmosphere, with families in attendance and activities for kids, including a petting zoo.
At approximately 6.40pm, the alleged gunmen, Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, park a silver hatchback on Campbell Parade, about 15 metres from an elevated footbridge that leads over a car park to Archer Park. It is a popular walking route from North Bondi to the beach.
Carrying high-powered longarm rifles, Naveed and his father walk towards a stone footbridge, which gives them an elevated view down to the park. Naveed wears all black. His father wears a black long-sleeved shirt and white trousers. The men allegedly begin firing at people from a distance of about 50 metres.
At about 6:43pm the first emergency call is made to NSW police and NSW ambulance.
A video shot from across Campbell Parade shows the early minutes of the attack unfolding. Naveed is seen firing north from the top of the footbridge towards the Hanukah celebration. Sajid is seen standing on Campbell Parade, firing south down the footpath. Sirens can be heard in the background, and people screaming, but no police or ambulance are on the scene.
People can be seen fleeing from the gunshots and taking shelter behind cars. People who had been sheltering in the staircase flee as the father and son approach. The men fire over them. One rifle appears to be left lying on the bridge.
Later, Sajid descends a short staircase at the end of the footbridge and walks towards the park. Naveed continues to fire from the bridge. He walks back towards Campbell Parade, waving at people to leave, but does not fire at them.
As Sajid is firing towards the celebration, Ahmed al-Ahmed, an unarmed man using the cover of a car, creeps up on Sajid and lunges at his neck and arms, disarming him and threatening him with the weapon. Sajid stumbles and retreats. Ahmed al-Ahmed then places the weapon at the base of a tree.
At about 6:47pm Sajid, having been disarmed, starts to walk back up the steps of the footbridge. The first shots from police are heard, fired in the direction of the assailants. The father stops halfway up the steps, and then, after another shot is heard, falls. Naveed ducks behind the stone railing of the bridge.
Both men are crouched behind the stone railing firing northwards towards the Hanukah festival. Gunfire is being fired at the two men. After one shot, Sajid suddenly reels back and collapses on the ground.
Standing above his prone father, Naveed continues to fire southward from the bridge. Incoming gunfire can also be heard.
At approximately 6:50pm Naveed stands up to shoot. A volley of incoming gunfire is heard. He crumples and falls to the ground. He appears to move briefly before lying still.
After this, unarmed civilian bystanders approach the footbridge. One man, on the western side of the footbridge, can be seen waving towards police, signalling them to come. Another man, approaching from the eastern side, holds his hands up in the air. He ducks when another shot rings out.
Police officers approach with weapons drawn from both sides of the bridge. A scuffle appears to break out between two civilians, it appears over confusion that the first civilian to arrive on the bridge was another assailant.
Minutes later, more police swarm the footbridge and attempt to keep members of the public from approaching. They begin CPR on Naveed.
After the attack, more than 100 ambulance officers are dispatched to Bondi Beach. Ambulances take 42 patients to hospitals across Sydney. Surf lifesavers on the beach, and at neighbouring surf clubs, provide first aid.
At 7:37pm NSW police announce: “Two people are in police custody at Bondi Beach; however, the police operation is ongoing and we continue to urge people to avoid the area. Please obey ALL police directions. Do not cross police lines.”
Later, around 8pm, NSW police raid the Akrams’ home in Bonnyrigg. Both shooters had been staying at an address in Campsie in the days before the attack. At 9.36pm, NSW police declare the attack to be a terrorist incident.
At 10:13pm, police announce they have found improvised explosive devices in the shooters’ car. Bomb disposal experts defuse the bomb.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, addresses the country at 10:19pm and describes the attack as “an act of evil antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation”.
