Australian police have stated that the shooting at a popular Sydney beach, which left 12 dead and 29 injured, was a 'terrorist attack'. Local authorities confirmed the attack was 'targeted at the Jewish community'. The New South Wales Police Commissioner, Mal Lanyon, confirmed the attack occurred around 2:47 AM Panama time in Archer Park, next to Bondi Beach, during a celebration for the first night of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, where about a thousand people were gathered. He pointed to two alleged attackers, one of whom was shot dead and the other arrested. 'At 21:36 tonight (Sydney time) I formally declared this incident a terrorist incident,' Lanyon stated at a press conference, explaining that special powers were activated to ensure 'there is no further threat to the community'. 'This attack was designed to strike at Sydney's Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah,' he added. Meanwhile, the head of the New South Wales government, where Sydney is located, Christopher Minns, described the shooting as 'a cowardly and terrifying act of violence' and stated that 'the target was the Jewish community'. 'What should have been a night of peace and celebration was destroyed by a wicked and horrific attack,' Minns declared at the same press conference. Images circulating on social media show what appear to be at least two attackers dressed in black, as well as scenes of panic on the beach, one of the city's most popular and tourist-heavy, with people fleeing and several victims lying on the ground being attended to by paramedics. According to the police official, at least 29 people were transported to hospitals, including two police officers, and he warned that 'the investigation has barely begun and no hypothesis is ruled out, including the possible involvement of a third suspect'. New South Wales police urged the public to avoid the area and asked those in the vicinity to seek shelter, as police and emergency services were deployed to the area to assess the situation.
Terrorist Attack on Sydney Beach During Hanukkah Celebration
A shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, during a Hanukkah celebration has been declared a terrorist attack. The incident targeted the Jewish community, resulting in multiple casualties.
