Bondi Beach shooting: What you need to know if you’re visiting Australia
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In a Facebook post on Dec 15, the New South Wales Police Force asked members of the public not to visit the Bondi area.
PHOTO: AFP
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SINGAPORE – The attack by two gunmen at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Dec 14 has sparked safety concerns, and Singaporeans heading to Australia for the holidays are likely to have questions.
So far, the attack by a father-son duo has left at least 16 people dead
The shooting at Bondi – one of Australia’s most visited tourist sites – is the country’s worst mass shooting in three decades. The last one, the Port Arthur massacre of 1996, paved the way for gun controls that are among the toughest in the world.
The Australian authorities said the attack was a targeted anti-Semitic attack, as the gunmen opened fire on sunseekers, families and tourists during a Jewish Hanukkah holiday celebration at the beach.
For Singaporeans going Down Under in the coming days, here’s what they need to know.
Q: Where did the Dec 14 shooting occur? Is it still safe to visit the spot?
A: The shooting took place at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
The Sydney Morning Herald said multiple people were injured after gunmen opened fire just after 6.30pm local time (3.30pm Singapore time). Witnesses said the shooting lasted about 10 minutes.
Around 1,000 people had attended a Hanukkah event, which was held in a small park off the beach.
The authorities said on Dec 15 that the attackers targeted attendees of the Jewish celebration, adding that the victims ranged in age from 10 to 87
Beachgoers fleeing Bondi Beach in Sydney after gunmen opened fire on Dec 14.
PHOTO: AFP
Bondi Beach and the surrounding roads in the Bondi area will remain closed on Dec 15 as investigators continue to work at the crime scene, said the New South Wales Police Force in a Facebook post on Dec 15.
It asked members of the public not to visit the Bondi area, adding that aircraft, including drones, are prohibited from flying over the crime scene.
It is unclear when Bondi Beach will be reopened to the public.
Q: How many people were killed in the attack?
A: At least 16 people, including one of the gunmen, were killed.
There are at least 40 others injured, said the Australian police.
Details are still emerging about the victims of the attack.
Those killed include Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was a key organiser of the event, French citizen Dan Elkayam, Ukrainian native Alex Kleytman and businessman Reuven Morrison.
Besides the physical damage wrought by the gunmen, the anti-Semitic attack has also inflicted emotional distress on Australia’s Jewish community
Rabbi Levi Wolff of Central Sydney Synagogue said that the “inevitable” has happened, referring to the shooting. He added that Jews in Australia must always be cautious.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack, saying the evil that was unleashed was “beyond comprehension”.
“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith,” he said.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that Singapore strongly condemns
In a letter to Mr Albanese on Dec 14, PM Wong wrote: “Such acts have no place in our societies and undermine the peace and security we all cherish.”
Q: Have the gunmen been apprehended? Who were they?
A: The alleged offenders were a father-and-son duo.
Australian media named the gunmen as 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was killed in a shoot-out with police, and his son, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, who is in hospital in critical condition under police guard.
Police have not said what weapons were used in the attack, but video from the scene showed the men firing what appeared to be a bolt-action rifle and a shotgun.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation had looked into the son in 2019
It said Naveed Akram was believed to be closely connected to an ISIS member who was arrested in July 2019 and convicted of preparing a terrorist act in Australia.
The broadcaster said counter-terrorism detectives believed the two Bondi Beach gunmen had pledged allegiance to ISIS.
Senior officials reportedly told the ABC that two ISIS flags were found in the gunmen’s car at the beach.
At the suspects’ home in Bonnyrigg, a suburb 36km west of the central business district, there was a heavy police presence on Dec 15, with a cordon wrapping around several neighbouring houses.
Members of the local Jewish community who gathered at the Bondi Pavilion on Dec 15 in memory of the victims of a shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney, the day before.
PHOTO: AFP
Q: Are mass shootings common in Australia? How can I stay safe?
A: It may ease your fears to know that mass shootings are rare in Australia, one of the world’s safest countries, according to Reuters.
The Dec 14 attack was the worst such incident in the country since 1996, when a gunman killed 35 people at a tourist site in the southern state of Tasmania.
After the 1996 shooting, the government took 12 days to ban semi-automatic weapons, organise a gun buyback scheme and introduce a licensing system to weed out people deemed unfit to carry a weapon.
Australia’s gun ownership system has been widely credited with one of the lowest gun homicide rates per capita
But the Bondi Beach attack has raised questions about whether Australia should toughen its laws further, gun control groups and researchers said.
Mourners gathering on Dec 15 beside floral tributes left at the Bondi Pavilion in memory of the victims of a shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney.
PHOTO: AFP
Meanwhile, Singapore’s High Commission in Canberra has urged Singaporeans in the vicinity of Bondi Beach to monitor news from official sources and heed local authorities’ advice.
Those requiring help can contact local police by calling 000, or the high commission duty officer for emergency consular assistance on +61 414 733 944.
The Singapore Police Force advises Singaporeans to run away from danger if they encounter a mass shooting. They should not surrender nor attempt to negotiate.
If escape is not possible, then they should find cover, stay out of sight and be very quiet. Phones should also be switched to silent mode.
When possible, people should contact the local authorities and provide details of their location and the attackers, including the number of attackers, the equipment being carried and what the attackers look like.
ST has contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information.
