A mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left at least 16 people dead has been declared a terrorist incident.
Naveed Akram, 24, is confirmed to be one of the two shooters who opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah event shortly before 7pm on Sunday.
One of the gunmen, a 50-year-old man, was shot and killed by police, while the 24-year-old gunman was shot before being taken into custody in a critical condition.
The death toll on Monday morning has risen to 16, including a girl, 10, and man, 40, who both died in hospital.
NSW police say the dead range in age from 10 to 87 years.
A further 40 people are injured, including five people in a critical condition. Two injured police officers are in a serious but stable condition.
Addressing the media late on Sunday night, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said bomb disposal were on-site of a vehicle on Campbell Pde, which officers believed contained several improvised explosive devices.
The device has since been secured and removed.
Police are also probing whether there was a third offender after the authorisation of special powers under the Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act.
Mr Lanyon confirmed the incident had been designated a terrorist incident.
The investigation will be led by the counter-terrorism command with investigators from the State Crime Command.
“This disgraceful act will not go unpunished,” Mr Lanyon said.
The Commissioner said he wanted to “make sure that there is no retribution”.
Visibly shaken, NSW Premier Chris Minns said the attack was “designed to target the Jewish community” during the first day of Hanukkah.
“This cowardly act of terrifying violence is shocking and painful to see and represents some of our worst fears about terrorism in Sydney,” he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, meanwhile, called the massacre “evil anti-Semitism” and “an attack on our way of life”.
“There is no place for this hate violence and terrorism in our nation,” he said.
“Let me be clear, we will eradicate it.”
AFP Acting Deputy Commissioner Nigel Ryan confirmed the AFP would assist ASIO and NSW Police in the investigation.
