Terrorist gunmen killed 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl and a British-born rabbi, in an attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday.
Australian police said a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son were behind the attack, which also left 42 people injured.
Police are not formally identifying the alleged gunmen yet but they have been named in local media as Sajid and Naveed Akram respectively.
The shooting has been declared a terrorist incident targeting a celebration on the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.
Here the PA news agency takes a look at what we know so far.
– What happened?
Two gunmen, armed with what police described as “long guns”, opened fire on more than 1,000 people attending a Jewish festival in the Archer Park area of Australia’s most famous beach at about 6.40pm local time on Sunday.
Local residents and emergency services helped the injured as people fled the scene.
Two officers from New South Wales (NSW) Police Force, a constable and probationary constable, suffered gunshot wounds while exchanging fire with the gunmen.
Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene and Naveed Akram was taken to hospital with critical injuries.
According to NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, the younger gunman will likely face criminal charges “based on his medical condition”, suggesting he will survive.
– Did police find anything else at the scene and what happens now?
Three firearms and two “active” explosive devices were seized by police, and a third explosive device was found on Monday. All have been taken away for forensic examination.
Police searched two properties in the New South Wales (NSW) suburbs of Bonnyrigg and Campsie overnight, and found two additional firearms.
A sixth firearm was found at the Bondi beach scene on Monday.
The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team has lunched an investigation with the NSW Police Force, Australian Federal Police, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the NSW Crime Commission.
Strike Force Belen, led by a critical incident team from State Crime Command’s homicide squad, will investigate the circumstances of police involvement in the incident.
– Who are the victims?
Those who died have not been formally identified, but police said their ages ranged from 10 to 87 years.
Fourteen 14 people died at the scene, including one of the gunmen, and a 10-year-old girl and 40-year-old man died in hospital.
Ahmed is a real-life hero. Last night, his incredible bravery no doubt saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at enormous personal risk.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) December 15, 2025
It was an honour to spend time with him just now and to pass on the thanks of people across NSW. pic.twitter.com/3xNBW8vxvZ
Police said 42 injured people, including four children, were taken to hospitals across Sydney.
The two police officers injured while responding to the attack remain in serious but stable conditions.
As of Monday morning UK time, 27 people were receiving care in hospitals across Sydney, NSW Health said.
Six people remain in critical conditions with the others in serious and stable conditions.
– Have any of the victims been named?
British-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, was the first victim to be identified.
His family has described him as a “joyful rabbi”.
The father-of-five grew up in Temple Fortune, north London, and had family members at Kinloss Synagogue in Finchley, according to Jewish News.
Mr Schlanger, 41, and his wife, Chayala, celebrated the birth of their youngest child, a boy, two months ago.
The youngest victim has been named as 10-year-old Matilda, whose full name was not disclosed.
French national Dan Elkayam and former police officer Peter Meagher have also been named as victims of the attack.
– Who is Ahmed al Ahmed, the man being hailed a hero by Australian people?
Father-of-two Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, from Sydney, tackled one of the gunmen by sneaking up on him and wrestling his weapon away.
In moments like this, we must come together.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 15, 2025
Australia stands united against hatred and terror. pic.twitter.com/b88z48uLzf
His father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, told ABC Australia Mr Ahmed has an “impulse to protect people”, having previously served with the police.
Mr Ahmed’s family previously said he was in hospital with bullet wounds to his arm and hand, but was in “good spirits”.
A public fundraising campaign has been set up by YouTuber Zachery Dereniowski and Car Hub Australia for people to show “gratitude and support” for Mr Ahmed’s “extraordinary” actions.
It has so far raised more than 1.1 million Australian dollars (£500,000), the top donation coming from American billionaire Bill Ackman, who donated 99,999 dollars (£49,000).
– What do we know about the attackers?
Mr Lanyon said the older of the two gunmen, believed to be Sajid Akram, had a licence for six guns, which were those found to have been used in the attack.
It was disclosed on Monday that Akram was part of a gun club, but Mr Lanyon said police were still gathering information about the attackers.
At a press conference, the commissioner said reports that a black Isis flag was draped over the attackers’ car “would form part of the investigation”.
He added that police were confident there was not a third person involved in the attack.
A message from The King to the people of Australia following the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. pic.twitter.com/yopJaWZF9s
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 14, 2025
Mr Lanyon earlier said that one of the offenders had been known to authorities but there had been no “specific threat”.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Naveed Akram was investigated six years ago by Australia’s domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, over links to an IS cell, but was not deemed to pose an ongoing threat.
– What have witnesses described?
Lachlan Moran, 32, from Melbourne, told the Associated Press: “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.
“Everyone just dropped all their possessions and everything and were running and people were crying and it was just horrible.”
Finn, who did not give his surname, heard gunshots from the living room of his apartment near the beach.
He told ABC News at the scene: “I just hear a few fireworks going off, that’s what it sounded like anyway.
“My parents were saying, ‘take cover, take cover, take cover’.
“I didn’t know what to do because obviously I was on my own.
“So I was just in my apartment, in my wardrobe, for the best part of I would say an hour and a half, just trying to see what was going on, trying to hear.
“I was so shaken up.”
– How has the UK responded?
In a message to the people of Australia, the King said he was “appalled and saddened by the most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack”.
The Prime Minister is understood to have been in touch with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.
Sir Keir Starmer said in a post on X: “Chanukah should be a time of celebration and joy.
“The news that the Bondi Beach attack was an antisemitic terrorist attack against Jewish families at a Chanukah event is sickening.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told any British people caught up in the shooting to contact the British consulate for support.
Police forces said they will put more officers into Jewish communities.
The Metropolitan Police will increase patrols around synagogues and other community venues, and Hertfordshire Constabulary said it would have a visible presence at key events in the county.
Police Scotland said they were already carrying out additional and dedicated patrols around synagogues and other Jewish venues and were “actively communicating with faith leaders”.
