Bondi Beach shooting: IED found in terrorist attack at Hanukkah festival, death toll ‘fluid’ – 10 points to know

At least 11 people were killed in a deadly ‘terrorist’ incident at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Chaos ensued as two gunmen opened fire earlier today around 6:30 pm (local time).

Australia police said officials found 'improvised explosive device' in a car linked to the Bondi shooter, with Mal Lanyon, the police commissioner for New South Wales state labelling the death toll as “fluid” – a fatality count that is expected to keep changing, reported AFP.

One of the shooters have been identified as Naveed Akram.

"As a result of the circumstances of the incident tonight at 9:36 pm this evening, I declared this to be a terrorist incident," New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told a news conference.

Bondi Beach Sydney shooting - 10 points

1. Death toll rises - Many reports mention that the death toll from the shooting has risen to 12, while 30 others were wounded when gunmen fired on a Jewish holiday event at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday. Bondi Beach is one of the world's most famous beaches and is typically crowded with locals and tourists.

2. One accused killed, another critical - One suspected gunman was killed and another was in a critical condition, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told a press conference.

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3. 10 minutes, around 1000 people - Eyewitnesses said the shooting lasted about 10 minutes, sending hundreds of people scattering along the sand and into nearby streets and parks. Police said around 1,000 people had attended the Hanukkah event alone.

4. IEDs found - Australia police said they found improvised explosive device in a car linked to the shooter.

5. Semi-automatic rifles spotted - A British tourist told AFP he saw "two shooters in black" after the gunfire broke out. "There was a shooting, two shooters in black with semi-automatic rifles," Timothy Brant-Coles told AFP, saying he saw multiple people who had been shot and wounded.

6. Shooting area turns into crime zone - Several police rescue vans arrived at the car park near the bridge where the gunmen opened fire, close to the vehicle in which the IEDs were found. According to a report by BBC, police said that the devices have been secured and are being removed. The area is no longer an exclusion zone but has been declared a crime scene, with investigators expected to remain on site throughout the night, mentioned the outlet.

7. Third gunman involved? So far, police have released information about two gunmen. Earlier, a report by BBC mentioned that police commissioner for New South Wales Lanyon ad said that authorities were investigating if a third gunman was involved.

8. Hero who saved lives- Hours after the shooting, a video emerged on social media showing how a person is trying to disarm one of the gunmen. The video, posted by Spectator Index on X, displayed how a bystander ran towards the gunman, grabbed the arms and shot the perpetrator multiple times – with many netizens hailing him as a hero.

9. ‘Shocking and distressing’- Australian PM Anthony Albanese condemned the loss of lives in the terrorist attack, and called the scenes in Bondi “shocking and distressing.”

10. UK PM extends condolences - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that the deadly attack on a Jewish gathering in Sydney was "sickening" and that "the United Kingdom will always stand with Australia and the Jewish community."