Posted by Police in Sydney say nine people have been killed in a shooting at Bondi Beach, where two suspects were arrested. One of them has been killed and the other is in a critical condition. Sky News understands a child is among those shot. Follow the latest below.
Fears of ‘multiple dead at a Jewish Hanukkah event’, Sky News told
On Bondi Beach at the time of the shooting, there was a public event to celebrate the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
Daniel Aghion, president of the executive council of Australian Jewry, tells Sky News:
“One thing we do know is that there are quite a number of people who were attending that event who very sadly have died or were injured.”
He adds that it isn’t known if the event was targeted and says: “The Jewish community of Sydney and Australia is hurting tonight.”
We’ve also heard from two British Jewish groups as well:
- CST says it “condemns” the “appalling attack”;
- And the British Board of Deputies says it is “devastated” to hear about the shooting.
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Deadliest shooting since world-leading gun reformspublished at 10:1210:12
Tiffanie Turnbull
BBC News, Sydney
With police confirming nine civilians are dead, this attack has become the deadliest shooting in this country since the Port Arthur attack rocked the nation.
In 1996, 35 people were killed, and scores were hurt, when a lone gunmen opened fire at a historic site in Tasmania.
That attack was a turning point, famously prompting the government to introduce some of the world’s strictest gun control measures. There was a gun buyback scheme, and increased checks on owners, and attacks radically dropped.
We’ve only had a handful of mass shootings since, most of them horrific acts of domestic violence – not public place attacks like today.
This is an unfamiliar, and devastating, shock for Australia.
Locals in shock as they await updatespublished at 09:4109:41
Tessa Wong
Reporting from Bondi Beach
The sun has set on Bondi and the area is still swarmed with police cars while a police helicopter does its rounds above.
Worried locals are still on the street corners right by the police cordon. A few have been crying.
I spoke briefly to a woman earlier who was deeply anxious as her teenage daughter was stuck at a surf club in the locked-down area.
Others have been trying to get across the cordon to reach their loved ones.
Everyone here appears to be in shock.
Who Watches the Watchers? 