Sydney terror attack: ‘Our hearts ache for the Jews, I can only imagine that pain’

Sydney. In Australia, 12 people were killed when two gunmen opened fire indiscriminately during a Jewish community celebration on Sunday’s Bondi Beach in Sydney. Australian officials have termed it a terrorist attack. Police killed one attacker, while another was arrested. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called it sad

On the ‘Bondi Beach’ incident, Minns said, our hearts are hurting for the Jewish community tonight. I can only imagine the pain they must be feeling right now, when they were celebrating this old festival and one of their own was killed. All Australians have a responsibility to support Australia’s Jewish community.

He said in the press conference that this is a very big, complex and just started investigation. This is just beginning, and there are some things we don’t have answers for tonight. However, we do have answers to some important information for our wonderful city and our beautiful state.

Sydney’s New South Wales Police Commissioner M. Lanyon said that 29 people including two police officers were injured in this attack. He told that the injured have been taken to the hospital by ambulance. State Premier Chris Minns said, “The target of this attack was Sydney’s Jewish community.” Hundreds of people gathered at Bondi Beach for an event called ‘Chanukah by the Sea’ to celebrate the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

In the footage broadcast on Australian television channels, it can be seen that someone catches one of the gunmen, snatches his weapon and then points the same weapon at him. Melbourne resident Lachlan Moran, 32, said he was waiting for his family nearby when he heard gunshots. “Everyone started running away, leaving behind all their belongings, people were crying, and it was all very scary,” he said.

Police said their operation was continuing and “several suspicious objects found in the surrounding area” were being investigated by specialist officers, including an IED recovered from the car of one of the suspects. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his thoughts were with all those affected. “The scenes at Bondi Beach are shocking and tragic. Police and emergency personnel are at the scene trying to save lives,” he said.