Bondi Beach Terror Attack 16 dead: Licensed Gunman and Son Named as Killers in Deadly Hanukkah Shooting

Father–son assailants identified as police reveal firearms history, weapons cache and explosive devices in Australia’s worst mass shooting in 29 years

Agencies, Sydney, December 15, 2025 : Australian authorities have identified 50-year-old Sajid Akram, a licensed firearms holder, and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, as the perpetrators behind the terrorist shooting that left at least 16 people dead during a Hanukkah gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The attack unfolded less than two hours into the event, which was due to begin at 5 p.m. local time, when gunfire erupted shortly before 7 p.m. along Campbell Parade, the road that runs beside the beach.

New South Wales Police said emergency services were called just before 7 p.m. after reports of a shooting, prompting scenes of panic as hundreds of residents and tourists fled the area. Many were seen throwing off their shoes as they ran to escape the gunfire. Victims ranged in age from 10 to 87.

Police confirmed that Sajid Akram was shot by officers and died at the scene, while his son was critically injured and taken to hospital under police guard. One of the gunmen was confirmed dead, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said that, subject to the younger man’s medical condition, it was likely he would face criminal charges.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, described the shooting as “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores”. Authorities said it was the worst mass shooting in Australia in 29 years. Police formally declared the incident a terrorist attack on Sunday.

16 people died, with two more dying in hospital overnight. A total of 42 people were injured. The child who died, a 10-year-old girl, was one of four children taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital following the attack. A 40-year-old man also died in hospital.

Ten-year-old Matilda was the youngest victim of the terror attack. Rabbi and father-of-five Eli Schlanger, 41, French national Dan Elkayam, in his 20s, Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, businessman Reuven Morrison, and former police officer Peter Meagher are among the dead. Two police officers, a constable and probationary constable, sustained gunshot wounds. They are both in a serious but stable condition.

Commissioner Lanyon revealed that Sajid Akram legally owned six firearms and had held a recreational hunting licence for approximately 10 years without any prior incidents. He possessed a category A/B firearms licence, was a member of a gun club and met the eligibility criteria under the Firearms Act. Some of the weapons seized were allegedly used in the attack. Police also discovered two “basic” explosive devices at the scene, which were active and later rendered safe by specialist officers.

Sajid Akram arrived in Australia on a student visa in 1998, which was transferred to a partner visa in 2001, and he has been on a resident return visa ever since, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has revealed.

Burke wouldn’t confirm where Akram immigrated to Australia from, though it has been reported he arrived from Pakistan.

Akram’s son Naveed, is an Australian citizen born in 2001. He came to the attention of ASIO in October 2019. He was examined, and an assessment was made that there was “no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Lanyon confirmed that police fired a number of shots that killed the older man and injured his son. He said the younger suspect was known to police, but there had been no intelligence indicating the attack was planned. The pair had been staying at an address in Campsie, while their registered residential address was in Bonnyrigg. Both properties were raided on Sunday.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the state government was considering changes to gun laws but was not ready to make an announcement on Monday.

In a related development, a Pakistani migrant named Naveed Akram, who arrived in Australia in 2018 and runs his own business, issued a public clarification after his photographs were wrongly circulated online in connection with the attack. In a video posted on X late on Sunday night, he condemned the violence and said his images were being misused because he shared the same name as one of the alleged gunmen. Speaking in Urdu, he said: “As per media reports, one of the shooters, their name is Naveed Akram. My name is also Naveed Akram. Unfortunately our names are the same. That is not me, and I have nothing to do with that incident or that person.”

The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to examine the actions of the attackers, their access to licensed firearms and the broader security implications of the deadliest shooting Australia has seen in nearly three decades.