Pakistani man, son behind deadly shooting at Sydney’s Jewish Festival
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Sydney: The two men who sprayed bullets on the unsuspecting people at Jewish celebration in Australia’s Bondi Beach are a father and son of Pakistani origin, according to reports.
At least 15 people were killed and several injured when 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was fatally shot by police, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram carried out the deadliest shooting in three decades in the country’s history.
New South Wales police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, reportedly confirmed that Naveed Akram, who was wounded, is being treated at a hospital.
Just as an image of Akram's New South Wales driver's licence has gone viral on social media, CBS news reported that the duo are likely of Pakistani origin.
Hundreds gathered at the beach for the Chanukah by the Sea event celebrating the start of the eight-day Hanukkah festival.
At about 6:45 p.m local time emergency services were called in just as reports of shooting emerged with visuals showing people in bathing suits running for safety.
The attack that lasted for 10 minutes left several people dead and injured alongside sending hundreds scattered along nearby streets.
It is reported citing police that around 1,000 people had attended the Hanukkah event held in a small park off the beach.
One of the videos emerged from the site showed two men in black shirts firing with long guns from a footbridge leading to the beach.
Although police have not given details of weapons used in the attack, the terrorists appeared to have used a bolt-action rifle and a shotgun.
Another clip broadcast on Australian TV showed a man disarming and pointing the man’s weapon at him.
Later New South Wales Premier Chris Minns revealed the identity of the man as shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, calling him a ‘genuine hero’.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that 24-year-old suspect, who is being treated in a hospital, is an Australian-born citizen, according to CNN.
The man’s father, the 50-year-old suspect who according to Burke came to the country on a student visa in 1998, died on Sunday evening from gunshot wounds.