Investigators worked Monday to determine how the Bondi Beach shooters obtained their weapons, examining firearms regulations after the attack killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the antisemitic terrorism while laying flowers at the site as Australia mourned with flags at half-mast following the deadliest gun violence in decades.
Australia’s strict firearms laws implemented after a 1996 mass shooting have been credited with preventing similar incidents, making Sunday’s attack particularly concerning for officials. Authorities were tracing the weapons used by father-son attackers Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, during their roughly ten-minute assault on approximately 1,000 Jewish community members. Understanding how they circumvented regulations is crucial for preventing future attacks.
Security forces killed the elder Akram and critically wounded the younger during the confrontation, with the father’s death bringing total fatalities to sixteen. The weapons were recovered at the scene, including one wrestled away by hero Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, who sustained gunshot wounds while disarming an attacker. Ballistic analysis and serial number tracing aimed to establish the firearms’ origins and ownership history.
Forty people remained hospitalized, including two police officers whose serious injuries had stabilized. Victims ranged from age ten to 87, shot with weapons that should have been difficult for the attackers to obtain under current regulations. Investigators examined whether the guns were purchased legally, stolen, modified, or acquired through black market channels, with each scenario presenting different policy implications.
This incident marks Australia’s worst shooting in nearly three decades and will inevitably prompt review of firearms regulations. While gun control advocates pointed to the attack’s rarity as evidence that existing laws work generally, others argued that any breach demonstrated the need for enhanced enforcement. As technical experts examined the weapons, policymakers prepared for difficult conversations about balancing public safety with civil liberties while acknowledging that determined criminals can sometimes circumvent even strict regulations.