Sydney, Australia—An Irish woman residing in Bondi has shared her harrowing account of the “sheer terror and panic” that gripped the community during Sunday’s gun attack at Bondi Beach, which resulted in 15 fatalities. The incident, which police are investigating as a targeted antisemitic terror attack, occurred as a crowd gathered for the start of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
Ciara Ahern, a former Garda press officer, described the scene of chaos and disorientation that will be etched in her memory “probably forevermore.”
- Witness Account: Ms. Ahern saw young children, separated from their families, running by her house “just in their swimwear and bare feet.”
- Chaos on the Street: “All the young children… were very disorientated, they weren’t exactly clear on kind of where to go or what to do,” she stated, noting that neighbours were attempting to guide the distressed children indoors.
- Recognizing the Threat: Drawing on her professional background, Ms. Ahern “knew pretty quickly… that the sequence of shooting was particularly sustained,” confirming the deadly reality of the unfolding event.
Attack Details Emerge
Police have confirmed that the alleged attackers, identified by local media as Sajid Akram (50) and his Australian-born son Naveed Akram (24), were a father and son duo. They opened fire on the crowd, which was attending a “Chanukah by the Sea” event.
- The father was killed at the scene, while the son is reportedly in critical condition.
- The death toll has risen to 15 victims, with ages ranging from 10 to 87.
National Ripple Effect
Ms. Ahern emphasized that the tragedy would have a profound “ripple effect across Australia,” affecting not just the Jewish community, but other minorities and the entire country, including the Irish diaspora.
“I think as a whole country… we’ll all be feeling this. It will certainly all make us stop and consider our own contribution, our place in society and what we can do to help this.”
