Mal Lanyon, a New South Wales police official, stated on 14/12/2024 that the father, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene, while his son, 24, sustained severe injuries and is receiving hospital treatment. New South Wales police had previously announced they were searching for a third suspect, but Lanyon confirmed there were only two gunmen.
According to a United States intelligence official familiar with the investigation, the son is Naveed Akram, a Pakistani citizen. The father's identity has not been released, but authorities confirmed he legally owned firearms and possessed a gun license for 10 years.
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Two suspects in the Bondi beach shooting, Australia on 14/12/2024. Photo: Sky News |
Police recovered 6 legally owned firearms at the scene. Improvised explosive devices were also found in one of the suspects' vehicles.
"We will examine the motive behind the attack. That is crucial to the investigation", Lanyon said, adding that police have classified the shooting as a terrorist act.
At least 16 people, including one suspect, died, and 40 were injured, including two police officers and three children, in the shooting at Bondi beach in Sydney on 14/12/2024. Currently, five people remain in critical condition, while others are in serious or stable condition.
The attack occurred as over 1,000 people gathered at Bondi beach for the Jewish Hanukkah festival. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the suspects "deliberately targeted the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah".
Albanese visited the scene on 15/12/2024 and laid flowers in memory of the victims. Several world leaders, including United States President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, called the Australian Prime Minister to offer condolences. According to Trump, the incident in Australia was an "anti-Semitic attack".
According to the Australian Institute of Criminology's definition, incidents are considered mass shootings when at least four people die, excluding the perpetrator. Mass shootings are rare in Australia due to strict gun control regulations. The Bondi beach shooting is the deadliest incident since the Port Arthur shooting in 4/1996.
Huyen Le (According to AFP, CBS, Reuters)
