NEWS

Father and Son Identified as Perpetrators in Deadly Hanukkah Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach

Staff December 15, 2025

A father and son were responsible for the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach, Sydney, which left 16 dead and 40 hospitalized. Police recovered six firearms and two active improvised explosive devices from their properties.

Featured image for: Police say a father and son were behind the horrifying mass shooting that left 16 people dead, including one of the gunmen, and 40 people hospitalized during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said during a press conference on Monday in Australia that it was a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son that carried out the terror attack. The father is dead, police said, and the son is in critical but stable condition in a hospital. Lanyon also said they are not looking for additional suspects at this time. The father was a licensed gun owner with six legally registered firearms. All six of the firearms have been recovered, with some being recovered at the scene. The others were located and recovered when investigators executed search warrants at two separate locations, police said. Lanyon told police the warrants were executed at a property in Campsie and another property in Bonnyrigg. He added that their residential address was in Bonnyrigg, though they were staying in Campsie. The commissioner also told reporters the father had held a gun license for 10 years. "There was very little knowledge of either of these men by the authorities," Lanyon said. "The person was determined to be entitled to have a firearms license and…the person had a firearms license for a number of years for which there were no incidents." Two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were also found at the scene of one of the homes where search warrants were executed. The IEDs were taken into possession by a rescue and bomb disposal unit and found to be active. They were then rendered safe by police.

Authorities have identified a father and son as the perpetrators behind the devastating mass shooting that occurred during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, resulting in 16 fatalities, including one of the gunmen, and 40 injuries.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon announced during a Monday press conference that the individuals responsible were a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son. The father succumbed to injuries sustained during the attack, while the son remains in critical but stable condition at a hospital.

Commissioner Lanyon emphasized that police are not currently seeking additional suspects in connection with the incident. "There was very little knowledge of either of these men by the authorities," he stated, adding that both individuals were previously unknown to law enforcement agencies.

The father was a licensed firearms owner, holding a gun license for approximately 10 years. He legally possessed six registered firearms, all of which have now been recovered. Some of the weapons were found at the scene of the shooting, while others were located during police search warrants executed at two separate properties.

Investigators carried out search warrants at residences in Campsie and Bonnyrigg. Commissioner Lanyon confirmed that the family’s residential address was in Bonnyrigg, but they had been staying temporarily in Campsie at the time of the attack.

In addition to the firearms, police discovered two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at one of the searched locations. The devices were active when found and were safely rendered inert by a specialized bomb disposal unit.

The attack has sparked widespread shock and mourning across Sydney, with community leaders and officials condemning the violence. The Hanukkah celebration was intended to be a peaceful cultural event but ended in tragedy.

Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the shooting and the relationship between the father and son. No further suspects have been identified, and police have urged the public to come forward with any information that could assist the inquiry.

The incident marks one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent Australian history, reigniting discussions about firearm regulations and public safety.