• Source:JND

At least twelve people were killed and around a dozen others were injured after gunmen opened fire during a Jewish holiday event at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday, Australian authorities confirmed. Sydney police have taken two people into custody following a mass shooting incident at Bondi Beach. NSW Police confirmed the arrests in a statement released on Sunday, stressing that the situation is still developing.

“Two people are in police custody at Bondi Beach; however, 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,” police said.

Footage aired by the ABC showed dozens of emergency vehicles, including police units and ambulances, converging on the Bondi area, while helicopters were seen circling overhead.

Eyewitnesses Report Multiple Gunshots

Local residents and witnesses described chaotic scenes after what they said sounded like intense gunfire near Campbell Parade. Some reports claimed as many as 50 shots were heard. Vision from the grassy area near the beach showed multiple people lying injured on the ground as paramedics rushed to provide emergency care.

Videos circulating on the social media platform X appeared to show crowds scattering across Bondi Beach as gunshots and police sirens rang out. Reuters said it could not immediately verify the authenticity of the footage.

People were seen running away from the area, some with bandages on their heads, while others appeared to be covered in blood, according to eyewitness accounts.

‘We Thought It Was Fireworks,’ Witness Says

Elizabeth Mealey, a Randwick resident and former journalist, told the ABC she was dining at the Icebergs restaurant when the shooting began. “We thought it was fireworks, but it wasn’t. It was something much worse,” she said. “People started running right up the beach. It was panic, and the panic spread to Icebergs.”

Mealey said she could not see the shooter but believed the sound of gunfire came from near the Bondi Pavilion. “It felt like it took a long time to hear a siren. Then the helicopter came, ambulances arrived, it was pandemonium,” she said.

She added that people were fleeing from north Bondi toward the southern end of the beach in an effort to escape.

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Political Leaders Urge Public To Follow Police Advice

NSW Premier Chris Minns described the reports and images emerging from Bondi as “deeply distressing” and urged the public to cooperate with authorities. “Police and emergency services are responding and the public should follow official advice,” Minns said.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the federal government was monitoring the situation closely. “We are aware of an active security situation in Bondi. We urge people in the vicinity to follow information from NSW Police,” the spokesperson said.

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