It was a night that promised to bring joy and light to Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach as crowds of Jewish families gathered at a park to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, also known as the festival of light. They were among thousands of other swimmers, surfers and sunbathers who had flocked to Australia's most famous beach on a scorching summer's afternoon.
But not long after the Hanukkah event kicked off at 17:00 local time and the first free donuts were doled out, festive music was drowned out by the sounds of screams and the echo of gunshots.
It's unclear exactly when the first shot was fired, but the initial call to police was made at 18:47. In the minutes that followed, two gunmen would kill at least 15 people, and injure dozens more, authorities said.
A local high school teacher, Chavi, told the BBC she dropped to the ground to protect her baby as bullets were flying above us. It was pandemonium and chaos, another attendee, who identified himself as Barry, said as he described watching a throng of people trying to escape the scene that had suddenly devolved into a nightmare.
In one verified video, upbeat music from the Hanukkah event can still be heard as people crouch down with shots firing in the background, creating a chilling contrast.
Police reported that both gunmen lived about an hour's drive from Bondi Beach. Their family home became a focus for investigation after police raided it amidst community shock over the violence.
The motives behind the shooting and the origins of the weapons are still under investigation, raising questions about safety at public festivities.
But not long after the Hanukkah event kicked off at 17:00 local time and the first free donuts were doled out, festive music was drowned out by the sounds of screams and the echo of gunshots.
It's unclear exactly when the first shot was fired, but the initial call to police was made at 18:47. In the minutes that followed, two gunmen would kill at least 15 people, and injure dozens more, authorities said.
A local high school teacher, Chavi, told the BBC she dropped to the ground to protect her baby as bullets were flying above us. It was pandemonium and chaos, another attendee, who identified himself as Barry, said as he described watching a throng of people trying to escape the scene that had suddenly devolved into a nightmare.
In one verified video, upbeat music from the Hanukkah event can still be heard as people crouch down with shots firing in the background, creating a chilling contrast.
Police reported that both gunmen lived about an hour's drive from Bondi Beach. Their family home became a focus for investigation after police raided it amidst community shock over the violence.
The motives behind the shooting and the origins of the weapons are still under investigation, raising questions about safety at public festivities.
