Sunrise host Nat Barr was visibly shaken as she reported live from Bondi Beach on Monday morning, struggling to hold back tears in the aftermath of the devastating terror attack.
Barr fought to maintain composure as she interviewed NSW Liberal leader Kellie Sloane, who witnessed the terrifying events on Sunday evening.
Sloane praised the courage of community members and first responders who rushed to help victims, highlighting acts of heroism including a man who tackled one of the armed attackers.
‘We’re going to get over this, but we will do it together,’ Sloane said.
‘This community is strong and they are resilient, and when those evil gunmen came in yesterday and tried to rip apart that sense of freedom that we have as a community, you know, we won’t let them… we cannot let them, and this community will come together.
‘We need to fight for our freedom in this country. We need to call out hate speech where we see it.’
Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, 50, opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah event shortly before 7pm on Sunday, killing at least 16 people and injuring a further 40.
Akram was apprehended at the scene of the shooting and taken to hospital under police guard in critical but stable condition. His father died at the scene.
Sunrise host Nat Barr was visibly shaken as she reported live from Bondi Beach on Monday morning, struggling to hold back tears in the aftermath of the devastating terror attack
Barr fought to maintain composure as she interviewed NSW Liberal leader Kellie Sloane, who witnessed the terrifying events on Sunday evening
The gravity of the tragedy was palpable as Barr struggled to process the scale of the violence that shattered one of Sydney’s most iconic beaches.
Sloane acknowledged the deep sense of helplessness many felt.
‘There’s a lot of people that are… gutted from what they’d seen, but also because they felt that they just wanted to do more, right,’ she said.
‘There’s nothing we could do. And that’s really, that’s really, really hard.’
Barr, her voice trembling, nodded in agreement adding softly: ‘I know, I know.’
Sloane urged Australians to remember the bravery shown by those on the scene even if they felt they hadn’t done enough.
‘The bravery… people need to remember that, the people that broke down yesterday and felt that they hadn’t done enough, they’re freaking heroes Nat. They are absolute heroes. And, you know, we need to look after them all.’
Barr expressed heartfelt gratitude for Sloane’s words and the support extended to victims and first responders.
A woman is comforted outside the Bondi Pavilion on Monday
Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, 50, opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah event shortly before 7pm on Sunday, killing at least 16 people and injuring a further 40
‘Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for everything, and thanks for being there and doing your bit,’ she said.
‘And everyone who was there on that beach yesterday is a hero. So thank you very much.’
Barr said the act of terror had shocked the nation.
‘It’s something that we’ve all watched in in real time unfold,’ she said.
‘Even if you weren’t here, you feel a part of it in Australia today, don’t you.
‘It’s amazing scenes down here. It’s very, very emotional. The whole of the country has seen what’s happened.’
Speaking from her police-surrounded Bonnyrigg home, in Sydney’s west, Akram’s mother Verena said the 24-year-old had told family he had gone to Jervis Bay with his father for a weekend of fishing and swimming.
‘He rings me up [on Sunday] and said, “Mum, I just went for a swim. I went scuba diving. We’re going… to eat now”,’ she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘And then this morning, “we’re going to stay home now because it’s very hot”.’
Verena was unable to identify her son from a photo at the scene of the shooting, but insisted he was a ‘good boy’ who is incapable of violence or extremism.