Disturbing hand sign gunman made throughout Bondi Beach taking pictures
Chilling footage shows two gunmen rampaging across Bondi Beach on Sunday, brazenly waving away terrified bystanders before unleashing a hail of bullets at hundreds of Jewish people gathered on the world-famous shoreline.
The deadly ambush struck as families and worshippers came together for the Chanukah by the Sea celebration marking the first night of the eight-day Festival of Lights.
Authorities have identified one of the attackers as Naveed Akram, 24, from Bonnyrigg in Sydney‘s south-west. The second gunman, who has been confirmed to be his father, was shot dead by police during the chaos.
Both men were armed for combat, wearing ammunition ‘dump pouches’ for rapid reloading.
The men could be seen firing guns into the crowd as people screamed and sprinted for cover.
Footage appears to show their intentions were chillingly clear, shooing away other beachgoers before turning their weapons on the Jewish community.
Police sources told news.com the men were wearing ammunition pouches showed they ‘meant business’.
‘One had his pouch on the front of his body which allowed him to reload and continue shooting. This shows they wanted to be able to fire repeatedly,’ one source said.
Chilling footage appears to show one of the gumen waving away terrified bystanders before unleashing a hail of bullets at hundreds of Jewish people gatheredfor a festival
Police sources say the pair meant business and were armed for combat, wearing ammunition ‘dump pouches’ for rapid reloading
At least 16 people have been confirmed dead so far with dozens of others injured in the attack
‘There is no doubt this has been a long time in the planning, and the date was chosen for an obvious reason. It’s a sad day for Australia.’
Former NSW police officer Ben Besant, who shot dead terrorist Man Haron Monis to end the Lindt Cafe siege 11 years ago, said he was horrified to hear of such a devastating attack.
He said he was 100 per cent confident this was a ‘terror attack’.
‘To hear so many lives have been lost is just devastating,’ he told news.com.au.
‘The fact that the location, Bondi Beach is so iconic to all Australians, the fact that there were so many people there on that day, and the actions of the two terrorists were vicious, extremely violent and callous and designed to install as much fear and terror as possible in all Australians.’
At least 16 people are dead including a 12-year-old girl injured who died in hospital overnight.
Multiple videos posted to social media show two gunmen standing on a footbridge connecting Campbell Parade to the Bondi Pavilion, firing shots into a crowd.
The shooting has officially been declared a terrorist incident, which will allow ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and its state counterpart to deploy special powers as it investigates the shooting.
Police have been patrolling Bondi Beach early Monday morning the day after a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community at the world famous beach
ASIO has admitted that one of the shooters was on their radar.
Sunday’s terrorist attack has been described as the worst since the Port Arthur Massacre.
In 1996, Martin Bryant unleashed a deadly attack at the historic Port Arthur penal colony in Tasmania killing 35 innocent people.
