A devastating mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, has left 16 people dead, among them one of the attackers, and sent 40 others to the hospital. Authorities have identified the perpetrators as a father and son duo.

During a Monday press conference in Australia, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon revealed that the attack was orchestrated by a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son.

The father was killed during the incident, while the son remains hospitalized in a critical yet stable condition. According to Commissioner Lanyon, there are no active searches for additional suspects.

The father was legally permitted to own firearms and had six registered weapons. Law enforcement officials have successfully recovered all six firearms. Some were found at the site of the attack, while others were retrieved following the execution of search warrants at two different locations.

As the investigation continues, the community grapples with the aftermath of the tragic event that unfolded during a Hanukkah gathering at the beach. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images)

Police said the victims of the attack range in age from 10 to 87 years old.

The shooting happened during an annual celebration, known as “Chanukah By The Sea.” It was scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. to celebrate the first day of the Jewish holiday by lighting the first candle on the Menorah. The shooting happened around 6:45 p.m. local time.

Police say the attack “targeted” the Jewish community and is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

At least 40 people remained hospitalized after the shooting, including two police officers, the agency confirmed. The shooting is the worst attack against Jews since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.

Police added that they found evidence of multiple improvised explosive devices in a vehicle near the scene of the attack.

“We have our rescue bomb disposal unit there at the moment working on that,” he said. 

A health worker moves a stretcher after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 14, 2025. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the attack while speaking at an event in Jerusalem recognizing immigrants’ extraordinary achievements on Sunday.

“At these very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach,” Herzog said. “Our hearts go out to them. The heart of the entire nation of Israel misses a beat at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, we pray for them and we pray for those who lost their lives.”

Herzog also called on the Australian government to “seek action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism which is plaguing Australian society.”