Following the recent shooting at Bondi Beach, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed the need to strengthen the country’s gun laws.
On Sunday, December 14, at approximately 18:47 local time, New South Wales police responded to calls about two shooters allegedly targeting civilians at Sydney’s popular Bondi Beach.
During the incident, over 1,000 individuals were at Bondi Beach celebrating Hanukkah. The assailants reportedly positioned themselves on a footbridge between Campbell Parade and the Bondi Pavilion, using the location to specifically target the Jewish community.
Authorities have labeled the event a terrorist attack, with the death toll having risen to 15 as of the latest reports.
Among those lost were a 10-year-old girl, a Rabbi, a retired police officer, and a Holocaust survivor. One of the alleged shooters also died at the scene.
The suspects in this tragic event, considered the deadliest in Australia for decades, have been identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed.
Sajid was pronounced dead at the location, while Naveed is reportedly in a critical condition in the hospital.
On Monday, December 15, Prime Minister Albanese addressed reporters, indicating plans to propose stricter gun control measures.
Albanese mentioned a proposal to impose limits on the quantity of firearms a licensed owner can possess.
“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws,” Albanese stated, according to The Independent.
He continued, “People’s circumstances can change. People can be radicalized over a period of time. Licenses should not be in perpetuity.”
The Prime Minister plans to bring this proposal to the national cabinet meeting scheduled for 4 pm local time.
Further developments have linked the suspected gunmen to the Islamic State, as per police reports.
Sajid reportedly entered Australia on a student visa in 1998, transitioned to a partner visa in 2001, and eventually obtained a resident return visa.
He held a firearms license for recreational hunting and was a member of a gun club, as reported by the BBC.
His son, born in Australia, caught the attention of authorities in October 2019, Prime Minister Albanese disclosed.
The Prime Minister stated that the 24-year-old was “examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.”
In an update, Ahmed Al Ahmed, the 43-year-old who bravely disarmed one of the gunmen, is reportedly recovering in the hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds.
A video of Ahmed’s courageous act went viral worldwide during the attack, showing him confronting one of the shooters in a tense encounter.
Ahmed, who operates a fruit shop in Sydney, was filmed crouching behind cars before surprising and subduing the gunman.
After a few anxious moments, he successfully disarmed the shooter and pointed the weapon at the suspect, forcing him to retreat.
Having relocated from Syria to Australia in 2006, Ahmed is being lauded for his brave actions, which likely prevented further casualties.