Australian authorities are investigating a terrorist act on Bondi Beach in Sydney, where at least 11 people, including children, were killed during the Jewish holiday of "Hanukkah".
Photo: George Chan / Getty Images
According to the Daily Mail, one of the attackers was 24-year-old Navid Akram. Photographs published by the outlet show an armed man in black clothing with an ammunition belt opening fire on people from a bridge.
According to the police, one of the attackers was shot dead during a shootout with law enforcement, while the second — the same Navid Akram — was wounded, detained, and is currently in custody; he is receiving medical assistance. In total, up to 29 people were injured, with two police officers and one child remaining in critical condition.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called what happened a terrorist act and emphasized its antisemitic nature.
âThis is a deliberate attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah — a day of joy and faith. This is a despicable act of antisemitism and terrorism that struck at the very heart of our nation. An attack on Australian Jews is an attack on every Australian,â he noted.
After the attack, police searched the suspect's home, and suspicious items, including an improvised explosive device, were found near the shooting site. Investigators are also checking the theory of a possible involvement of a third attacker.
The Daily Mail quotes Larisa Kleitman, who lost her husband, with whom she had lived for almost 50 years.
âI think he was shot because he stood up to protect me. The bullet hit him in the back of the head,â she said.
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