15 dead in shooting at Bondi Beach Hanukkah event, including children

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said officials will consider further tightening the country’s already strict gun laws after the Bondi Beach attack, which he called an “antisemitic terrorism incident” and “an unprecedented scale of attack on the Australian way of life.”

“One of the suggestions that will be on the agenda today is to have an examination of our gun laws to make sure that if there is any tightening or changes which are required, that we put in place mechanisms,” he said before a meeting in Sydney of the national cabinet.

The Australian government previously enacted a wave of gun laws after a 1996 shooting in Port Arthur, a town on the Australian island of Tasmania, that left 35 people dead and dozens more injured. Among them was an enormous gun buyback scheme.

Since the Port Arthur shooting it has been very difficult to buy weapons in Australia, which is one reason the country has been so shocked by the attack at Bondi Beach.

At least 27 patients are still receiving care in several hospitals around Sydney, a New South Wales Health spokesperson said in a statement.

Twelve of them are in critical condition, the spokesperson said.

An earlier statement from NSW Police had said at least 40 people were injured.

The younger suspect was an Australian-born citizen who first came to the attention of the Australian intelligence agency in October 2019, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters.

"He was examined on the basis of being associated with others," he said. However, "an assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence," he added.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the older suspect, the father, arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa and transferred to a partner visa three years later. Since then the father has been on a resident return visa.

Neither Albanese nor Burke elaborated on the son's associations. Albanese said the investigation at the time went on for six months.

Fin Green was visiting Australia from the U.K. when he witnessed the Bondi Beach shooting from his apartment window.

Green said he was catching up with his family on a video call when he suddenly heard "what sounded like fireworks."

"I just heard, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang," Green added.

He opened his window and saw "a guy all in black" standing by a car, "just letting off shots."

Green said he immediately knew that the man outside his window was a shooter.

New South Wales officials said today that gun laws in Australia must get stricter after, they said, one of the suspects was a legally licensed firearms owner.

Australia has one of the lowest gun death rates in the world, and it's difficult to buy weapons there. But New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said firearm laws need to become even stricter in the wake of Sunday's massacre.

"It means introducing a bill to Parliament to — I mean, to be really blunt — make it more difficult to get these horrifying weapons that have no practical use in our community," Minns said. "If you're not a farmer, if you're not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons that put the public in danger and make life dangerous and difficult for New South Wales Police?"

Minns said that he intends to introduce legislation "that makes a big difference" and that his colleagues feel the same way.

"We need to make sure the firearms legislation in New South Wales is fit for purpose," Minns said. "That does mean restricting firearms for the general public, for the people of New South Wales, but not everybody needs these weapons of mass destruction. You don't need them on New South Wales streets."

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon urged Australians to remain calm and resist any urges to exact revenge following the deadly terror attack.

"This is a time for calm," Lanyon said at a news conference. "Retribution or acts against any parts of any community will not be accepted."

Lanyon indicated the Bondi Beach violence targeting Jewish people is not consistent with the community and said, "This is a time for the community to come together."

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said an important aspect of the police and government response is to reassure residents, especially those of Jewish background, that they will be protected.

"We need to send a clear message to the people of this state ... that New South Wales police are there to protect them, to keep them safe, and they’ve got every right to celebrate their faith."

Minns also emphasized that acts of revenge will not be tolerated.

"We are not going to allow, ever, a situation where we descend into some kind of lawlessness," Minns said. "And if you are considering participating in something like that, you can expect a massive, overwhelming police response. It will not be tolerated."

The 50-year-old suspect killed by authorities at the scene of the attack had the legal right to possess a firearm, police said at today's news conference in New South Wales.

"He met the eligibility criteria for a firearm's license," New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said. "So the firearms license was to be for a recreational hunting license. There are two types of hunting license: the ability to hunt on a property or also as part of a hunting club — so a gun club. He was a member of a gun club and was entitled by nature of the firearms act to have a firearms license issued."

The suspect had held a firearms license since 2015, the commissioner said. The type of license the man had also allowed him to own the "long arms that he had" as registered guns, Lanyon added.

Bondi Beach is one of Australia's best-known sites, known worldwide for its golden sand, strong surf and vibrant culture.

Located about 4 miles east of Sydney's city center, it is popular with surfers and tourists and often draws large crowds, especially during the summer, when it can attract up to 50,000 visitors a day.

The site features a promenade, playgrounds, an outdoor gym, a multipurpose venue, wading pools and numerous food and drink options.

An event to mark the first day of Hanukkah was taking place at Bondi Beach when the shooting took place, killing at least 15 people ages 10 to 87. Officials declared the shooting a terrorist event and said it was “designed to target” Jewish people.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Bondi Beach as a place "associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations."

"It is forever tarnished by what has occurred," he said this morning.

New South Wales' public health system said several patients remained in critical condition Monday morning local time and others were listed as stable.

NSW Health reported that the hospitals treating patients include Prince of Wales Hospital, St George Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick, Sydney Eye Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sutherland Hospital and Liverpool Hospital.