Bondi Beach suspected shooter named as witnesses heard ‘Allahu Akbar’ screams

Witnesses reportedly heard people screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ as a horror shooting at Bondi Beach unfolded, with one of the suspected gunmen now named. The incident has been designated as a terrorist attack.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a law enforcement official in Australia has named the alleged shooter as Narveed Akram, of Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s south-west. The official said Akram’s home in Bonnyrigg was being raided by police, ABC.net.au reports.

At least 12 people have now been confirmed dead after two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish holiday gathering. Footage on social media has also revealed a woman shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ on the beach after the shooting came to a stop, with bystanders pushing her away and seemingly telling her to stop.

Authorities say there is no longer an active threat but have urged people to avoid the area. One shooter was killed, while another is in custody. 

A French-speaking tourist told ABC News he had only been in Australia for two days before the shooting. He suggested to a friend that they should go to the beach, but just after they got out of the water he said he was facing down the armed gunmen.

He said he ducked down behind a car as one of the men aimed a gun at him, but he was able to get away while trying to help a pregnant woman. He said: “My coeur [French for “heart”] is dead today.”

A Sydney resident, Finn, said he heard the gunshots from his living room. He was FaceTiming his family back home in London at the time. “I just heard a few fireworks going off, that’s what it sounded like anyway,” he told ABC News.

“The next thing you know, I saw a white car with a guy shooting, firing from his car. So I just didn’t know what to do, and my parents were saying, ‘Take cover, take cover, take cover.'”

He added: “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.”

Sarah Frydman and her daughter Scarlett were at a bar mitzvah in the area. Sarah told ABC news: “At about 6:40[pm] people started screaming, telling us to run inside. So we ran in behind the kitchen and we were just hiding in a room.

“There were lots of children there. The parents weren’t there because this was a kid’s party basically. And [there were] lots of kids crying. It was really horrible.”

Julian Leeser, a Jewish federal MP, has described the shooting as a “terror attack” and a “horrifying tragedy”. He said: “Tonight’s unfolding terror attack at Bondi Beach, occurring on the first night of Chanukah, is a horrifying tragedy. For Australians, tonight has turned into one of grief and shock.

“We must come together, check in on one another, support our Jewish friends, and to offer comfort where it is needed.

“My heart goes out to those who were in Bondi, spending time with their family and friends, only to be confronted with fear and violence.

“Our Jewish community, which is known for its courage and stoicism, is shaken tonight.

“I want to thank the NSW Police officers, paramedics, other first responders and members of the public who moved swiftly to protect lives and secure the area under extremely difficult circumstances.

“Even in darkness, light endures. Tonight, the values at the heart of Chanukah matter more than ever.”