Australia To Tighten Gun Laws After Killing Of 16 In Bondi Beach Shooting

Australia wants to tighten its gun laws following its deadliest mass shooting in almost three decades.

A man and his son had opened fire at a Jewish festival on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 16 people, including a child.

The attackers fired into a large crowd gathered on Sunday evening to mark the start of Hanukkah, triggering panic as people fled across the popular beachside area.

Among the dead were a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor and a local rabbi. At least 42 others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds and other injuries.

In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened an emergency meeting of state and territory leaders, with all parties agreeing “to strengthen gun laws across the nation.”

His office said the discussions would focus on tougher background checks for firearm owners, restricting gun licences to citizens, and limiting the types of weapons legally available.

Australia has seen few mass shootings since 1996, when a gunman killed 35 people at Port Arthur in Tasmania. That attack led to sweeping gun control reforms, including a nationwide buyback scheme, a firearms register and strict limits on semi-automatic weapons.

However, Sunday’s attack has raised questions on how the two suspects were able to obtain their firearms, with public broadcaster ABC reporting they may have had links to the Islamic State group.

Police said investigations were ongoing but described the attack as clearly intended to terrorise the Jewish community.

Albanese condemned it as “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores.”

The gunmen targeted an annual beachside celebration attended by more than 1,000 people. Firing from a raised boardwalk overlooking the sand, they shot for about 10 minutes before police killed the 50-year-old father.

His 24-year-old son was arrested and remains under guard in hospital with serious injuries.

Witnesses described scenes of confusion and fear. One attendee, Beatrice, said she initially thought the gunfire was fireworks. “We’re just feeling lucky we’re all safe,” she told AFP.

Police later discovered a homemade explosive device in a car parked near the beach, saying it had likely been planted by the attackers.

Rabbi Mendel Kastel confirmed that his brother-in-law was among the victims. “This is not the Australia that we know. This is not the Australia that we want,” he said.

Authorities have so far declined to discuss the attackers’ religion or ideological motivations, citing concerns about reprisals. Police said they were investigating reports of pig heads being left at a Muslim cemetery in southwestern Sydney.

Reuters, citing footage from the scene, reported that a bystander identified as fruit seller Ahmed al Ahmed tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen, even after being shot. Off-duty lifeguards ran toward the gunfire to pull children to safety, while injured victims were carried across the sand on surfboards used as makeshift stretchers.

Australia marked the tragedy by lowering flags to half-mast, and mourners gathered at Bondi Beach on Monday evening to sing and pay tribute to the victims.

The shooting comes amid heightened tensions following a rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Australia’s government of “pouring oil on the fire of antisemitism,” while leaders around the world, including U.S. President Donald Trump, condemned the attack.

The Australian government has also accused Iran of orchestrating recent antisemitic attacks in the country, including arson incidents at Jewish sites in Sydney and Melbourne, claims Iran has denied.

As investigations continue, the Australian Prime minister said the government would do “whatever is necessary” to prevent a repeat of the tragedy and ensure the safety of all Australians.