- Two gunmen opened fire at Bondi Beach, Sydney, killing ten people including one shooter
- A bystander bravely subdued one gunman by pinning him down and seizing his rifle
- Eleven others were injured, including two police officers, with casualties expected to rise
Chaos ensued at the Bondi Beach in Sydney as two gunmen opened fire earlier today, around 6:30 pm (local time). Amid this, a daring bystander pinned down one of the gunmen, who was hiding behind a tree, and aimed the rifle back at him. The bravery was caught on camera, the video of which is now viral.
The 15-second video shows the unarmed man hiding behind parked cars. He run towards the gunmen from the back, holds him from the neck, and snatches away his rifle. The gunmen falls flat on the ground as the good samaritan points the gun back at him.
Bondi Beach Shooting
twelve people, including a man believed to be one of the shooters have been killed in a mass shooting. The second alleged shooter is in a critical condition, NSW Police informed in an update. Eleven people are reported to be injured, two of which are police officers, the cops informed, adding, the number of casualties are expected to rise as the operation continues.
The two gunmen fired around 50 shots, according to eye witnesses.
The first update from the New South Wales (NSW) Police came at 2:17 pm (IST) on X, stating they are "responding to a developing incident". The police urged people to avoid the area and take shelter.
"Police are on scene and more information will be provided when it comes to hand," NSW Police wrote on social media.
Two people are in police custody at Bondi Beach, the police confirmed.
"The police operation is ongoing and we continue to urge people to avoid the area. Please obey all police directions. Do not cross police lines," NSW Police wrote on X.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the scenes in Bondi are "shocking and distressing".
"Police and emergency responders are on the ground working to save lives. My thoughts are with every person affected. "I have just spoken to the AFP Commissioner and with the NSW Premier. We are working with the NSW Police and will provide further updates as more information is confirmed. I urge people in the vicinity to follow information from the NSW Police," he said in a statement.
Shooting At Hanukkah Event
Hundreds of people had gathered on the beach for a seaside event to mark the beginning of the eight-day Jewish festival Hanukkah. Australian Jewish Association CEO Robert Gregory condemned the "foreseeable" incident and attacked PM Albanese for not protecting the Jewish community.
"What happened tonight is a tragedy but entirely foreseeable. The Albanese government was warned so many times but failed to take adequate actions to protect the Jewish community. Tonight, many Jews are pondering whether they have a future in Australia. Our thoughts are with our community and all the impacted, some of whom we are close to," Gregory said in a statement.
