New video reveals second police officer took down Bondi shooter
A new angle showing the moment police took down two gunmen at Bondi Beach has revealed the extent of police’s response to the shooting.
Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, 50, opened fire on a Jewish event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah at about 6.40pm on Sunday.
Harrowing photos and footage of the attack show Naveed shot at the crowd, full of young families, from a bridge near Bondi Pavilion, while his father, Sajid, crossed to the park where the event was being held.
A new video, which emerged on Monday night, showed the police operation to take down the two gunmen.
Sajid had joined his son back on the bridge after being disarmed by an incredibly brave civilian.
Police began firing at the pair with a plainclothes officer hidden behind a tree appearing to take the fatal shot at Sajid.
It’s understood the officer was roughly 40m from Sajid and fired three rounds from a NSW Police issue Glock 22 0.40 calibre handgun.
Naveed continued to duck and dodge police bullets for around a minute before he, too, was finally brought to the ground.
A plainclothes police officer (pictured) standing roughly 40m from the Bondi shooters is believed to have shot one of them
Sajid Akram was fatally shot shortly before his son, Naveed Akram (pictured squatting next to his father), was shot by officers
The surviving gunman was taken to hospital under police guard while in a critical condition.
The father and son killed 15 people during the terrorist attack and injured at least 42.
Of those patients, six people remain in critical condition and 27 people remain in serious and stable conditions.
The victims included 10-year-old girl Matilda, prominent Sydney Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Rabbi Yakkov Levitan, 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, beloved husband and father Tibor Weitzen, an assistant at a synagogue Reuven Morrison, beloved Rugby volunteer and photographer Peter Meagher and 27-year-old French Jewish national Dan Elkayam.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon applauded the ‘bravery of officers and members of the public’ who were at the scene.
‘Anyone who has seen the footage will have seen police going forward to take positive action,’ he said.
‘It would have been an incredibly chaotic and terrifying scene, even for well-trained police officers.
‘The fact that two persons had long arms and were indiscriminately firing them says that the act of bravery about going forward is something we should all celebrate.
The terrorists on Sunday night targeted a Jewish event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah (pictured, mourners at a memorial at Bondi Pavilion on Monday)
Police confirmed 15 innocent people were killed in the attack and at least 42 were injured (pictured, mourners at the Bondi Pavilion on Monday)
‘The police went forward, took very positive action, resolved the matter, again, with some outstanding bravery by members of the public.’
NSW Police has established a community reception centre at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, on 242 Arden Street in Coogee.
The centre is for family and witnesses to speak to investigators and support officers during the early stages of the investigation into the incident.
The Joint Counter Terrorism Team has begun following inquiries into the shooting under Operation Arques.
The team comprises members from the NSW Police Force, Australian Federal Police, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the NSW Crime Commission.
NSW Police also established a Public Information and Inquiry Centre (PIIC), which is available on 1800 227 228.
It will operate on a 24-hour basis for as long as is necessary.
The Prime Minister on Monday acknowledged the hard work of officers, many of whom were up all night responding to the case.
NSW Police has established a community reception centre in Coogee to help the loved ones of victims (pictured, a mourner at the memorial in Bondi on Monday)
‘These are brave people,’ he said.
‘Many people who were off-duty police headed towards Bondi last night from as far away as Newcastle and the Central Coast.
‘They did so because of their commitment to their fellow Australians and the diligence that they show.’
