Bondi Beach Shooting: NSW Police Confirm Father-Son Duo Behind Hanukkah Massacre In Sydney

Sydney: The New South Wales Police have confirmed that the two men who massacred at least 15 people and injured over 40 in a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach were a father and his son. According to the police, the 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son targeted the Jewish community, executing a mass killing. 

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Commissioner Mal Lanyon stated that the investigation had moved forward overnight, allowing officers to name the pair and to rule out any additional attackers. The police officer confirmed that the 50‑year‑old gunman was killed by police at the scene, while his son was taken to a hospital in a critical condition and remains under police guard.

No Additional Suspect, Accused Used Licensed Firearms

Police officer Lanyon asserted that the investigators are no longer looking for anyone else and that there were only two shooters, who went on the gun rampage. “The investigation has progressed,” he said, adding that the pair were the only people involved in the shooting. The attack, which has been declared a terrorist incident, targeted the Jewish community gathering to mark the first night of Hanukkah at Sydney's Bondi Beach.

During the press conference, the police commissioner revealed that among the shooters, the father held a licence for 6 registered firearms and that those weapons are believed to have been used in the Bondi Beach massacre. The police carried out two search warrants overnight in the western Sydney suburbs of Bonnyrigg and Campsie, where the men’s residences were located, to trace how the guns were obtained and deployed.

The death toll in the deadly mass shooting incident at the Bondi Beach has climbed to 15, including the gunman, while close to 40 others were wounded, including two police officers. The local police and the emergency services were called to Campbell Parade around 6.45 pm as a mass panic and fear gripped the beachfront. The local leaders have called for calm and for a united stand against antisemitism, while the authorities have promised a thorough investigation into the motives behind the attack.

The police stated that the focus now is on understanding how the licensed firearms were accessed and on gathering any intelligence that could prevent similar incidents. The counter‑terrorism units are leading the inquiry, and officers will continue to review evidence from the search warrants and from witness accounts. The people were asked to avoid the area while the crime scene remains active and to report any suspicious information to the police