“Witnesses recall ‘bullets flying’ on Bondi Beach as victims remembered as ‘bright, joyful and talented'”, BBC News
Summary
- Victims of Sunday’s deadly Bondi Beach attack have been remembered as bright, joyfuland talented
- Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen targeted Jewish people attending a Hanukkah event – the victims include a 10-year-old girl, a British-born rabbi, a retired police officer, and a Holocaust survivor – what we know about them so far
- A mother tells the BBC she saw “bullets flying” as she acted as a human shield to protect her baby. Here’s what else we’ve heard from eyewitnesses
- The gunmen have been named in local media as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24. The older man died at the scene and his son is in a critical condition
- They had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says they weren’t part of a terror cell but “clearly” they were motivated by “extremist ideology”
- The father of bystander Ahmed al Ahmed, who was filmed wrestling a gun off an attacker, tells the BBC he was driven by “conscience and humanity”
- 0:38Father ‘so proud’ of his son who disarmed Bondi gunman. 00:00:38, play videoFather ‘so proud’ of his son who disarmed Bondi gunman
- 0:37Eyewitness video shows people fleeing beach as shots fired. 00:00:37, play videoEyewitness video shows people fleeing beach as shots fired
Live Reporting
Edited by Matt Spivey and Alex Smith
- ‘Everything must change from today’ – Australian politicians react to deadly attackpublished at 11:1011:10
IMAGE SOURCE, EPA/SHUTTERSTOCKImage caption, Sussan Ley, leader of the Liberal PartyIn the aftermath of Sunday’s deadly shooting, we’ve been hearing from Australian politicians:- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – of the Australian Labor Party – said that a cabinet meeting he convened earlier today was to discuss “the need for tougher gun laws”. He added that “people’s circumstances change. People can be radicalised over a period of time. Licences should not be in perpetuity”
- Australia’s Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley – of the Liberal Party – says that “everything must change from today in how governments respond. Antisemitism is not a problem to be managed. It is an evil that must be confronted and eradicated.” She also calls for the Albanese to implement “in full” a report published in July by the government’s antisemitism envoy Jillian Segel
- Green Party senator David Shoebridge says that tighter gun controls are “not the only answer to the violence we saw”, while he welcomes the news that Albanese wants “to take action”
- Senator Sean Bell of the right-wing One Nation Party has called for “anyone who sympathises with radical Islamic terrorism” to be “swiftly detained and, if not Australia citizens, swiftly deported”
- ‘Joyful, spirited, always smiling’: Who are the Bondi shooting victims?published at 10:5710:57
Image caption, From left to right: Peter “Marzo” Meagher, Matilda and Rabbi Eli SchlangerTributes have been paid to some of the victims of Sunday’s shooting. At least 15 people have been confirmed dead, but not all have been named:- Matilda: The 10-year-old – the youngest victim – has been described by one of her former teachers as “a bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her”
- Eli Schlanger: The British-born rabbi, 41, was one of the organisers of the event. The father-of-five is remembered by his cousin as a “caring, loving person who would do anything to help another person”
- Peter “Marzo” Meagher: A retired detective sergeant – who had served for 40 years in the NSW Police Force – was working as a freelance photographer at the event. He was “much loved”, his rugby club said
- Alexander Kleytman: A Holocaust survivor, he had been attending the Hanukkah celebrations with his children and grandchildren, according to the Jewish organisation Chabad. It said he died shielding his wife
- Dan Elkayam: A French national, he was described as an “extremely talented and popular” football player by his club in Sydney. A friend said he was “always smiling, so friendly and loved by everyone”
- Tibor Weizen: The 78-year-old was a “beloved” member of the Bondi Chabad Synagogue, according to the organisation. Chabad said he was killed trying to shield a family friend
- Marika Pogany: The 82-year-old was remembered as “a terrific person, excellent bridge player, and an even better friend,” by her bridge club, the Sydney Morning Herald reported
- Rabbi Yaakov Levitan: He was the secretary of the Sydney Beth Din, a Jewish religious institution, according to Chabad, which described him as a “popular coordinator” of its activities in Sydney
- Reuven Morrison: A longtime Melbourne resident who had migrated to Australia from the former Soviet Union in the 1970s, Chabad said he was “a successful businessman whose main goal was to give away his earnings to charities dear to his heart”
A 10-year-old, two rabbis and a Holocaust survivor – Who are the Bondi shooting victims?
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Helen Livingstone
At least 15 people have been confirmed dead in Sunday’s shooting attack at Bondi beach.
Many were attending an event to mark the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
Authorities have confirmed that two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl were among the victims.
This is what we know about those identified so far:
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Matilda, 10
Authorities confirmed that a 10-year-old girl, named by her family to local media as Matilda, was among the dead.
Irina Goodhew, who organised a fundraiser for the girl’s mother and said she was the child’s former teacher, wrote: “I knew her as a bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her.”
The Harmony Russian School of Sydney also confirmed that she was one of its students.
“We are deeply saddened to share the news that a former student of our school has passed away in the hospital due to injuries sustained from a gunshot,” the school wrote on Facebook.
“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic event … Her memory will remain in our hearts, and we honor her life and the time she spent as part of our school family.”
Meanwhile her aunt spoke to ABC news and said that Matilda’s sister, who was with her when she was shot, was struggling to come to terms with the loss.
“They were like twins — they’ve never been separated,” she told the ABC.
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Rabbi Eli Schlanger
Known as the “Bondi Rabbi”, Eli Schlanger, 41, was one of the key organisers of Sunday’s event. He was head of the local Chabad mission, an international Hasidic Jewish organisation based in Brooklyn.
The death of the British-born father of five was confirmed by his cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis.
“My dear cousin, Rabbi Eli Schlanger @bondirabbi was murdered in today’s terrorist attack in Sydney,” Zalman wrote on Instagram. “He leaves behind his wife & young children, as well as my uncle & aunt & siblings … He was truly an incredible guy”.
In a post on its website, Chabad said Schlanger’s youngest child was just two months old.
“He was the most godly, humane, kind, gracious human being I think I’ve ever met,” Alex Ryvchin of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, told reporters at Bondi on Monday morning.
Dan Elkayam
The death of French national Dan Elkayam was confirmed by France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
“It’s with immense sadness that we have learnt that our compatriot Dan Elkayam was among the victims of the terrorist attack that hit Jewish families gathered on the beach at Bondi in Sydney,” he wrote on social media.
“We mourn with his family and loved ones, with the Jewish community and the Australian people.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Elkayam worked as an IT analyst for NBCUniversal and had moved to Australia last year.
He was also a keen footballer, and “an integral member” of our premier league squad, the Rockdale Ilinden Football Club in west Sydney wrote on its Facebook page.
He was “an extremely talented and popular figure amongst team mates. Our deepest and sincerest condolances to Dan’s family, friends and all that knew him. He will be missed,” the club wrote.
Alexander Kleytman
Alexander Kleytman was a Holocaust survivor who came to Australia from Ukraine.
“I have no husband. I don’t know where is his body. Nobody can give me any answer,” his wife Larisa Kleytman told reporters outside a Sydney hospital late on Sunday.
“We were standing and suddenly came the ‘boom boom’, and everybody fell down. At this moment he was behind me and at one moment he decided to go close to me. He pushed his body up because he wanted to stay near me,” she told the Australian.
Chabad wrote on X that Alexander “died shielding her from the gunman’s bullets. In addition to his wife, he leaves behind two children and 11 grandchildren.”
The couple shared some of their life story with Jewish Care in 2023.
“As children, both Larisa and Alexander faced the unspeakable terror of the Holocaust,” the health organisation wrote in its annual report.
“Alex’s memories are particularly harrowing; recalling the dreadful conditions in Siberia where he, along with his mother and younger brother, struggled for survival.”
Peter Meagher
Former police officer Peter Meagher was working as a freelance photographer at the Hanukkah event when he was killed, his rugby club confirmed.
“For him it was simply a catastrophic case of being in the wrong place and at the wrong time,” Mark Harrison, the general manager of Randwick Rugby Club, wrote on its website.
“Marzo, as he was universally known, was a much loved figure and absolute legend in our club, with decades of voluntary involvement, he was one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby.”
The club said he had spent almost four decades in the NSW Police Force where he was “hugely respected by colleagues”.
“The tragic irony is that he spent so long in the dangerous front line as a Police Officer and was struck down in retirement while taking photos in his passion role is really hard to comprehend,” the club said.
Reuven Morrison
Reuven Morrison migrated to Australia from the former Soviet Union in the 1970s as a teenager, according to an interview he gave to the ABC exactly a year ago.
“We came here with the view that Australia is the safest country in the world and the Jews would not be faced with such anti-Semitism in the future, where we can bring up our kids in a safe environment,” he told the national broadcaster.
Confirming his death, Chabad said that he was a longtime resident of Melbourne, but that he “discovered his Jewish identity in Sydney”.
“A successful businessman whose main goal was to give away his earnings to charities dear to his heart, notably Chabad of Bondi,” the organisation wrote on X.
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan’s death was confirmed by Chabad, who described him as a “popular coordinator” of its activities in Sydney.
He also served as secretary of the Sydney Beth Din – a rabbinical court – and worked at the BINA Center, which describes itself as a centre of Jewish learning.
Tibor Weitzen
Tibor Weitzen was at the event with his wife and grandchildren when he was killed trying to shield a family friend, Chabad said.
The 78-year-old was a “beloved” member of the Bondi Chabad Synagogue, according to the organisation.
His granddaughter Leor Amzalak told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he was “the best you could ask for”.
She said Mr Weitzen had migrated to Australia from Israel in 1988.
“He only saw the best in people and will be dearly missed,” she told the broadcaster.
Marika Pogany
Marika Pogany, 82, was named as one of the victims by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and local media.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Ms Pogany was an avid volunteer and a member of Sydney’s Harbour View Bridge Club.
“She was a terrific person, excellent bridge player, and an even better friend,” the club’s director Matt Mullamphy said.
Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini also said a Slovakian woman called Marika was among the dead, while the country’s former leader Zuzana Čaputová said she had been her close friend.
Čaputová described her as an exceptional woman who “lived her life to the fullest” in a post on social media.
She said Ms Pogany had died “at her beloved Bondi Beach” and that Sydney had been her “haven”.