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• Witnesses recalled the “traumatizing” mass shooting that took place during a Hanukkah event at Australia’s Bondi Beach on Dec. 14
• “I’ve seen a brain on the ground … It was a grandma, she was bleeding a lot,” one eyewitness said
• At least 12 people were killed, and 29 others were injured in the tragedy

Survivors and witnesses of the mass shooting that killed at least 12 people and injured 29 others at Australia’s Bondi Beach are opening up about the “traumatizing” incident. 

As the community gathered for the Chanukah by the Sea beach festival, two gunmen opened fire on the crowd in Archer Park, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said in a press conference.

One of the shooters was killed at the scene, and a second shooter is in custody, according to Minns. A possible third gunman is also being investigated, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said at the press conference.

Recalling the tragedy — in which children and a police officer are believed to be among the victims, according to News.com.au — one eyewitness told CBS News, “I’ve seen a brain on the ground.”

“It was a grandma, she was bleeding a lot,” he continued. “That’s the most traumatized thing that I’ve seen in my life. A brain. I’ve never seen that.”

A member of a jewish community reacts as he stands at the site of a shooting incident at Bondi Beach.

 Saeed KHAN / AFP via Getty

Another onlooker told Al-Jazeera that the scene of the festival, which was attended by many children and families, was chaotic.

“A few people helped a few older people get up and get out of there, but it was like there were lots of bodies on the floor,” they recalled. 

One woman told the Associated Press, “I was holding somebody’s child. Because he was screaming, I was saving this child.”

Another man told the outlet that he had gone outside to smoke a cigarette when he suddenly heard gunshots. “I don’t get scared very easily,” he said. “The shooting starts, and everyone is running down.”

Witness Finn Green told The Guardian that he saw two people get shot before he ran to his house and hid in the closet. 

“I just saw an older lady get shot and she was on the floor,” he said to the outlet. “Saw an older guy get shot very badly injured on the left-hand side … and I just saw a bunch of people screaming run towards me. I didn’t know what was going on.”

Police set up a cordon line at the scene of a mass shooting at Bondi Beach.

 Darrian Traynor/Getty

Adrian, another eyewitness, described the tragedy as a “really confusing situation.”

“People didn’t know where to go,” he told The Guardian. “They were so confused, and we tried to run away from the beach because there were many people and we were afraid someone [was] killing people there.”

Australian broadcaster Michael Vaughan also shared his account of the tragic shooting on X, writing, “Being locked in a restaurant in Bondi was scary .. Now home safe .. but thanks so much to the emergency services and the guy who confronted the terrorist .. thoughts with all who have been affected.”

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By LAURA PARNABY, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and CLAUDIA AORAHA, US SENIOR EDITOR

Updated: 13:01 EST, 14 December 2025

The gunman who killed two Ivy League students and injured several more at Brown University screamed at his victims before opening fire, a witness has said.

Police in Providence, Rhode Island, where the college is located, are yet to name the shooter, but said a masked man in his 20s has been detained. 

Brown University senior and teaching assistant Joseph Oduro said he saw the masked gunman burst into a classroom and scream before opening fire.

Oduro, 21, said he did not know what the shooter screamed.

‘That’s what the students and I — and the detectives — have been trying to piece together,’ he told the New York Times.

Police detained the suspect at the Hampton Inn in Coventry. He has not yet been identified, and a suspected motive has not been given.  

Follow the Daily Mail live blog for all the latest updates…

Shooter ‘screamed’ before opening fire

Brown University senior and teaching assistant Joseph Oduro said he saw the masked gunman burst into a classroom and scream before opening fire.

Oduro, 21, said he did not know what the shooter screamed.

‘That’s what the students and I — and the detectives — have been trying to piece together,’ he told the New York Times.

Oduro said he hid behind a desk with around 20 students, including one person who was shot in the leg.

‘The students in the middle row were impacted the most,’ he said. ‘Many of them were lying there and they were not moving. I have no idea how many.’

NYC Mayor-Elect calls Brown University shooting ‘senseless violence’

New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani took to X with an emotional post following the mass shooting Saturday night.

‘Two people were killed this evening at Brown University by a gunman who remains at large. Eight others are injured, fighting for their lives in a nearby hospital. This senseless violence—once considered unfathomable—has become nauseatingly normal to all of us across our nation,’ he wrote.

Mamdani went on to speak about the fatal incident happening on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting.

‘Tonight, on the eve of the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, we find ourselves in mourning once again,’ he said.

Mamdani added: ‘May we never allow ourselves to grow numb to this pain, and let us rededicate ourselves to the enduring work of ending the scourge of gun violence in our nation.’

Providence Mayor recalls conversations with shooting victims in hospital

Mayor Brett Smiley spoke of the conversations he had with victims at local hospitals following the horrific shooting.

During the Sunday afternoon press conference, Smiley said one wounded student told him the active shooter drill they did in high school prepared them for the unthinkable moment.

That left Smiley both speechless and grateful, he said.

‘We shouldn’t have to do active shooter drills, but it helped,’ he said, adding ‘and the reason it helped, and the reason we do these drills, is because it’s so damn frequent.’

Police chief says officials ‘continue to build that case’ against person of interest

Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar L. Perez Jr. shared very little during Sunday’s 12pm press conference, but did say authorities will ‘continue to build that case’ against the unknown person of interest who was taken into custody earlier this morning.

When asked by several reporters about the person’s identity, the hotel he was arrested at and campus security footage, Perez did not comment.

‘I have [a] responsibility to respect the integrity of this investigation. It’s a process, and it’s complex,’ he said.

‘I’m not going to speculate on something without grounded facts. If we’re going to charge someone, then we’re going to charge somebody, and I’m going to come here again.’

Person of interest in shooting had two guns

The detained man had two firearms in their possession when they were taken into custody at the Hampton Inn in Coventry, law enforcement officials told CNN.

No further information was given about the type of firearms seized, but police said they believe a handgun was used in the shooting.

FBI Director Kash Patel pledges to continue ’24/7 campaign’ for justice

Two survivors of the Brown University attack previously escaped other school shootings

Mia Tretta, 21, and Zoe Weissman, 20, have both survived previous school shootings.

Weissman was 12 when she witnessed a gunman attack the high school beside her middle school in Parkland, Florida, in 2018.

The attack left 17 people dead.

Meanwhile, Tretta was shot in the abdomen in 2019 when a shooter opened fire at Saugus high school near Los Angeles.

The gunman killed her best friend.

‘I’m angry that I thought I’d never have to deal with this again, and here I am eight years later,’ Weissman told NBC News.

‘People always think, well, it’ll never be me,’ Tretta told the New York Times. ‘And until I was shot in my school, I also thought the same thing.’

Democrat Senator Chris Murphy has blamed President Donald Trump for the horror shooting at Brown University.

Speaking about the tragedy, Connecticut politician told CNN’s State of the Union: ‘Gun violence rates and mass shooting rates have come down in this country, but this is not shocking because over the last year President Trump has been engaged in a dizzying campaign to increase violence in this country.

‘He is restoring gun rights to felons and people who have lost their ability to buy guns, he eliminated the White House office of gun violence protection, and he stopped funding mental health grants and community anti-gun violence grants that Republicans and Democrats supported in that 2002 bill…

‘He has been engaged in a pretty deliberate campaign to try to make violence more likely in this country, and I think you’re unfortunately going to see the results of that on the streets of America.’

Map reveals shooting scene and where the suspect was detained

Dramatic video shows police officers rescuing terrified students

Police continue to stand guard at scene of horror shooting

Officers were seen outside the Barus & Holley engineering building, at the site of Saturday’s mass shooting at Brown University.

How local tea shop owner helped police track down suspect

Michelle Cheng, the owner of Ceremony tea store in Providence, said her landlord David Baskin gave police CCTV of a ‘person of interest’ walking through the neighborhood, helping them track him down.

Cheng said Baskin stayed up all night reviewing the footage with investigators until they spotted the person of interest. The store also helped shelter students while the campus was locked down.

‘What we experienced as deeply traumatic, and we need a little more time to cope and support one another,’ Cheng wrote on social media.

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Brown University gunman SCREAMED at terrified students before pummeling classroom with bullets as he’s quizzed by FBI: Live updates

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At least 12 people have died in a horrific antisemitic attack as over 1,000 people gathered on the famous Bondi Beach to celebrate a Jewish religious holiday – one of the victims was British-born

16:59, 14 Dec 2025Updated 17:13, 14 Dec 2025

Rabbi Eli Schlanger was one of the people killed in the terror attack

Two gunmen unleashed a horror terror attack during a celebration on the Jewish festival of Hannukah brutally killing several people.

Police confirmed at least 12 people are dead and 29 others injured following the horror shooting that unfolded on Bondi Beach, on Sunday evening local time. Horror footages showed how people desperately fled as two shooters descended at around 6.45pm and opened fire. The identities of the victims tragically killed in the terror incident are starting to be shared hours after the fatal attack.

Over 1,000 people had been gathered for the celebrations and officials said the gunmen started shooting at “a crowded group of families”.

READ MORE: Bondi Beach victim shot in the head is Holocaust survivor who died saving wifeREAD MORE: British Bondi Beach shooting victim’s heartbreaking final Facebook post before sudden deathPeople fleeing from the beach during the deadly attack(Image: UGC/AFP via Getty Images)

Rabbi Eli Schlanger

The 41-year-old London-born rabbi was tragically one of the 11 people killed by the gunmen, his heartbroken family has said. His loved ones said he went to Bondi Beach to spread “to spread happiness and light”.

The rabbi was born in London

It is understood that Rabbi Schlanger, a 41-year-old father of five,and his wife Chayala welcomed their youngest child, a baby boy, two months ago.

Speaking to Jewish News, Rabbi Schlanger’s cousin – Rabbi Zalman Lewis – said that the family grew up in Temple Fortune and were members of the Kinloss synagogue in Finchley. Rabbi Lewis remembered his cousin as “vivacious, optimistic and full of energy and life”.

He said: “Eli loved helping people, encouraging people to do mitzvot. He was so bubbly, almost eccentrically so.”

Schlanger’s great-uncle is the late Reverend Leslie Olsberg, who served as rabbi at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, where two people were murdered in a terror attack during Yom Kippur in October.

The two gunmen shooting at people(Image: COURTESY OF TIMOTHY BRANT-COLES/)

At the time, Schlanger spoke to Australian Jewish News and was asked if he was worried if something similar would happen in Australia. He replied that he put “full trust in Hashem that nothing will happen”.

Alex Kleytman

A Ukrainian Holocaust survivor was shot in the head during the horrific terror attack. His wife, Larisa Kleytman, emotionally said her husband of five decades, was killed while trying to save her life, The Australian reports.

Larissa Kleytman said her husband Alex was killed next to her(Image: DEAN LEWINS/EPA/Shutterstock)

The distraught wife said she and her husband went to Bondi Beach to celebrate the Jewish holiday as “for us it was always a very, very good celebration, for many, many years”.

Mrs Kleytman sado: “We were standing and suddenly came the ‘boom boom’, and everybody fell down. At this moment he was behind me and at one moment he decided to go close to me. He pushed his body up because he wanted to stay near me.”

The couple have two children and 11 grandchildren, according to the Daily Mail.

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Messages were sweeping across Sydney within minutes of the attack at Bondi Beach.

Parents messaged their children and teenagers, who had been enjoying a late afternoon swim at Bondi.

Witnesses said police were on the scene quickly, and the streets of Sydney’s eastern suburbs were full of police cars and ambulances on their way to Bondi.

Follow live: 11 people killed at event celebrating Hanukkah

When we arrived, there were still dozens of people processing what had happened, and everywhere – shock.

Witnesses told us that when the gunfire started some people took cover in the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. Once the threat was over, lifeguards helped the injured and used surfboards to carry them out.

Image:
Witnesses tell Sky’s Nicole Johnston of Bondi ‘warzone’

Some people were clearly traumatised and provided graphic detail of witnessing the shooting and seeing people killed in front of them.

More on Bondi Beach Shooting

A photographer, Danny, was covering the Jewish holiday event.

Read more: What we know so far

He said he “locked eyes” with one of the gunmen, who then fired towards him. Danny said he was grazed by a bullet. He kept filming during the shooting, while taking cover.

Sam, from France, was working at Bondi. He went to the scene of the attack and saw almost a dozen people lying on the ground covered in blood. Sam described it as like a “war zone”.

Rabbi Lei Wolff, from Central Synagogue in Sydney, went to Bondi as soon as he heard about the mass shooting. A dear friend of his, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was killed in the attack.

Rabbi Wolff has called on people around the world to stand with Australia’s Jewish community against terrorism.

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The Ukrainian president says Kyiv could drop its long-held ambition of joining NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees.

Ukraine has indicated it is prepared to drop its long-held ambition of joining NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said ahead of meetings with US envoys and European allies in Berlin.

Zelenskyy described the proposal on Sunday as a concession by Kyiv, after years of pressing for NATO membership as the strongest deterrent against future Russian attacks. He said the United States, European partners and other allies could instead provide legally binding security guarantees.

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“From the very beginning, Ukraine’s desire was to join NATO; these are real security guarantees. Some partners from the US and Europe did not support this direction,” Zelenskyy said in response to questions from reporters in a WhatsApp chat.

“Thus, today, bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the US, Article 5-like guarantees for us from the US, and security guarantees from European colleagues, as well as other countries – Canada, Japan – are an opportunity to prevent another Russian invasion,” he said.

“And it is already a compromise from our part,” Zelenskyy added, stressing that such guarantees must be legally binding.

The shift would mark a significant change for Ukraine, which has long sought NATO membership despite Moscow viewing the alliance’s expansion as a threat.

While the move aligns with one of Russia’s stated war objectives, Kyiv has continued to reject demands to cede territory.

Zelenskyy said he was seeking a “dignified” peace and firm assurances that Russia would not launch another attack, as diplomats gathered to discuss what could become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. He also accused Moscow of prolonging the war through sustained attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.

Pressure to reach a settlement

The talks come amid pressure from US President Donald Trump to reach a settlement. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner on Sunday arrived in the German capital city of Berlin for discussions involving Ukrainian and European representatives.

The decision to send Witkoff, who has previously led negotiations with both Kyiv and Moscow, suggested Washington saw scope for progress.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine, Europe and the US were reviewing a 20-point plan that could culminate in a ceasefire, though he reiterated that Kyiv was not holding direct talks with Russia. He said a truce along current front lines could be considered fair, while noting that Russia continues to demand a Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of Donetsk and Luhansk still under Kyiv’s control.

Despite diplomatic efforts, Russian attacks have continued, leaving thousands without electricity in recent strikes. Ukrainian officials say Moscow is deliberately targeting the power grid to deprive civilians of heat and water during winter.

Fighting has also intensified in the Black Sea. Russian forces recently struck Ukrainian ports, damaging Turkish-owned vessels, including a ship carrying food supplies. An attack on Odesa set grain silos ablaze, according to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba. Zelenskyy said the strikes “had no … military purpose whatsoever”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against further escalation, saying the Black Sea should not become an “area of confrontation”.

“Everyone needs safe navigation in the Black Sea,” Erdogan said, calling for a “limited ceasefire” covering ports and energy facilities. Turkiye controls the Bosphorus Strait, a vital route for Ukrainian grain and Russian oil exports.

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What we know about the victims

So far, very little information has come out about the identities of those killed and injured in the Bondi beach attack.

We know that 11 people were killed, and one of the gunmen is also dead. A second gunman is injured and in hospital, as are 29 victims, among them two police officers who were wounded while responding to the attack.

• London-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, has been named as one of the victims, Jewish News reports. The father-of-five, who was assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, a Jewish cultural centre, grew up in Temple Fortune, north London. His first cousin, Brighton-based Rabbi Zalman Lewis, told Jewish News: “How can a joyful rabbi who went to a beach to spread happiness and light, to make the world a better place, have his life ended in this way?”

• One Israeli citizen was among those killed, the Israeli foreign ministry said. It did not name the victim.

• The Jerusalem Post reported that one of its contributors, Arsen Ostrovsky, head of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Sydney office, was wounded in the attack.

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Australian leaders and police have been swift to label the shooting an antisemitic terrorist attack.

“This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community,” said New South Wales state premier Chris Minns.

“On the first day of Hanukkah, what should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in that community with families and supporters, has been shattered by this horrifying evil attack.”

“Our heart bleeds for Australia’s Jewish community tonight. I can only imagine the pain that they’re feeling right now to see their loved ones killed as they celebrate this ancient holiday.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns (centre) with the state police minister (left) and and state police commissioner Photograph: Dean Lewins/ReutersShare

Updated at 18.13 CET

What we know about the victims

So far, very little information has come out about the identities of those killed and injured in the Bondi beach attack.

We know that 11 people were killed, and one of the gunmen is also dead. A second gunman is injured and in hospital, as are 29 victims, among them two police officers who were wounded while responding to the attack.

• London-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, has been named as one of the victims, Jewish News reports. The father-of-five, who was assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, a Jewish cultural centre, grew up in Temple Fortune, north London. His first cousin, Brighton-based Rabbi Zalman Lewis, told Jewish News: “How can a joyful rabbi who went to a beach to spread happiness and light, to make the world a better place, have his life ended in this way?”

• One Israeli citizen was among those killed, the Israeli foreign ministry said. It did not name the victim.

• The Jerusalem Post reported that one of its contributors, Arsen Ostrovsky, head of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Sydney office, was wounded in the attack.

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Opening summary

Throughout the night, Australians have been grieving a shocking attack on Jewish Australians on the country’s iconic Bondi beach.

Communities are still reeling. “This senseless attack is one which is an actor of terror,” prime minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday night. “My message to Jewish Australians is that your fellow Australians stand with you tonight in condemning this act of terror.”

• At least 11 people were killed and almost 30 wounded when gunmen fired on a Hanukah celebration on Bondi beach on Sunday, in what Australian police and officials described as a terrorist attack. One of the gunmen also died.

• London-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, has been named as one of the victims of the Bondi beach terrorist attack. Jewish News reports that the father-of-five, who was assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, a Jewish cultural centre, grew up in Temple Fortune, north London, and had family members of Kinloss synagogue in Finchley.

• One Israeli citizen was also among those killed, the Israeli foreign ministry said.

• A number of “suspicious devices” have been found in the aftermath of the shooting where hundreds of people had gathered for the Chanukah by the Sea event to celebrate the start of the Jewish festival on Sunday.

• A man who rushed to the scene to tackle one of the gunmen has two bullet wounds, one in his arm and one in his hand, but is recovering well in hospital, his relative said. Seven News reported the bystander was a 43-year-old fruit shop owner from the Sutherland Shire.

• British police will put more officers into Jewish communities after an antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi beach in Australia. Hanukah, the Jewish festival of lights also known as Chanukah, begins on Sunday evening, with celebrations planned across the UK in the coming days.

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12/14/2025December 14, 2025

Zelenskyy calls for ‘dignified’ peace as US envoys arrive in Berlin

Ahead of talks with US and European officials in Berlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said it is critical that the negotiations deliver results.

“Ukraine needs peace on dignified terms, and we are ready to work as constructively as possible,” he wrote on X on Sunday.

“The coming days will be filled with diplomacy. It is critically important that it delivers results,” he added.

Earlier in his statement, he wrote that “hundreds of thousands of families are still without electricity in Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, Chernihiv, Donetsk, Sumy, and Dnipro regions” following Russian strikes.

“Russia is dragging out the war and seeks to inflict as much harm as possible on our people,” he wrote. “In total, the Russians launched more than 1,500 attack drones, nearly 900 guided aerial bombs, and 46 missiles of various types against Ukraine this week.”

Zelenskyy’s remarks came as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were reported to have arrived in Berlin for the talks.

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Harrowing footage from the Hanukkah shooting in Sydney, Australia, shows a bystander tackling and disarming one of the gunmen on Sunday.

The footage shows the bystander sneak up on the shooter as he is firing on victims off-screen. The man then tackled the shooter and wrenched the gun away from him. He then turned the weapon on the shooter, but did not fire.

The hero has been identified by Australian media as Ahmed al-Ahmad, 43. The man’s cousin, Mustafa al-Ahmad, told Australia’s News 7 that Ahmed was shot once in the arm and once in the shoulder. The injuries came when the second gunman fired on Ahmed after he tackled the first man.

“He’s a hero. One hundred percent a hero. Once we saw on social media, he’s one hundred percent a hero,” Mustafa told the outlet.

NBA CHAMPION CALLS ON OFFICIALS TO ‘PUBLICLY HANG’ AUSTRALIAN TERRORISTS AFTER ATTACK AT HANUKKAH EVENT

Emergency workers transport a person on a stretcher after a reported shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025.  (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Ahmed is currently in surgery and is expected to make a full recovery, according to Australian media.

Praise and gratitude poured in for Ahmed on social media as the footage of his takedown spread.

ISRAELI OFFICIALS HEAP BLAME ON AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AFTER BONDI BEACH SHOOTING: ‘COUNTLESS WARNING SIGNS’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the man as “brave” in a statement regarding the shooting. Netanyahu had initially stated that the man who intervened was a Jew, but that was before Ahmed was identified.

“We saw an action of a brave man–turns out a Muslim brave man, and I salute him–that stopped one of these terrorists from killing innocent Jews,” Netanyahu said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Ahmad al-Ahmed for saving lives in Sunday’s shooting. (JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Chris Minns, the premier of Australia’s New South Wales state, also hailed Ahmed as a hero.

“That man is a genuine hero, and I’ve got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery,” Minns said in a statement.

Sunday’s shooting killed at least 11 people and hospitalized at least 28. One of the gunmen was killed and the other remains in critical condition.

Emergency workers transport a person on a stretcher after a reported shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Australian authorities have confirmed the attack targeted the Jewish community, which was celebrating the first day of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach.

Neither of the shooters have been identified.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on X: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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Twelve people have died – including one suspected gunman – after a terrorist attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach targeted Jewish families celebrating Hanukkah, police have confirmed.

A total of 29 people were injured in the mass shooting, including two police officers, after two attackers opened fire on crowds. A second suspected gunman is in a critical condition.

Mal Lanyon, New South Wales Police Commissioner, told a press conference in Sydney that he had declared the shooting a terrorist incident and officers were investigating if a third offender was involved. Homemade bombs were also discovered in a car near the scene.

Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, said the attack was “an act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism”.

“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith,” he added.

“An act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation, an attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian, and every Australian tonight will be like me, devastated on this attack on our way of life.

“There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation. Let me be clear, we will eradicate it.”

Terrified locals reported hearing “up to 50” gunshots in the Archer Park area at around 6.45pm local time, where up to 1,000 people had gathered for an event to celebrate the first day of the Jewish holiday.

The police warned members of the public to take shelter, before later reporting that two suspects had been captured.

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Twelve people have been killed, including one gunman, while dozens more have been taken to hospital (AP)

Horrifying footage shared on social media appears to show two shooters firing from a bridge at a beach carpark, while members of the public can be heard screaming.

Later clips appeared to show the two suspects pinned to the ground by police, with shot gun cartridges littered on the floor.

Lachlan Moran, 32, from Melbourne, said beachgoers dropped everything and sprinted towards safety after hearing the pop of gunfire.

“Everyone just dropped all their possessions and everything and were running and people were crying and it was just horrible,” he said.

Witness Harry Wilson, 30, told the Sydney Morning Herald he saw “saw at least 10 people on the ground and blood everywhere”.

Relatives paid tribute to British-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, who “loved helping people” after he was named as one of the victims. The father-of-five, who was assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, a Jewish cultural centre, grew up in Temple Fortune, north London.

The 41-year-old and his wife, Chayala, are said to have celebrated the birth of their youngest child, a boy, two months ago.

His cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis, from Brighton, told Jewish News: “How can a joyful rabbi who went to a beach to spread happiness and light, to make the world a better place, have his life ended in this way?

“We can only respond by doing what Eli would have wanted, what he dedicated his life to – doing more mitzvot (good deeds) and to keep spreading positive energy.”

Larisa Kleytman revealed her husband of five decades, Alex, was tragically killed while trying to protect her as the shots rang out.

The couple, who travelled from Matraville to celebrate Hanukkah, were in the crowd when Mrs Kletyman heard the “boom boom” of gunfire. They have two children and 11 grandchildren.

“I think he was shot because he raised himself up to protect me, in the back of the head,” she told the Daily Mail.

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A bystander has been hailed as a hero after he tackled the gunman (Reuters/Social Media)

Separate footage captured the moment a heroic bystander – named by local media as 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed – wrestled a rifle out of the hands of one of the alleged shooters.

The man leapt out from behind a car and tackled the gunman from behind, eventually pulling the firearm from his hands and turning it on the suspected attacker.

Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, hailed him as a “genuine hero” as he described the footage as “unbelievable”.

“A man walking up to gunman who had fired on the community and single handedly disarming him, putting his own life at risk to save the lives of countless other people,” he added.

“That man is a genuine hero and I’ve no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery.”

Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott also commended the bystander’s actions as he condemned the “absolute atrocity”.

“There should be no place in Australia for the kind of evil we’ve seen this evening,” he said.

“Thank God one bystander heroically intervened showing the good side of our country. I am praying for all those affected at this time.”

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A woman cradles a child in a blanket after the Bondi beach shooting (AFP via Getty Images)

A spokesperson for New South Wales Ambulance said more than 40 crews, including helicopter and road crews, had treated multiple casualties and taken them to hospital.

A total of 29 people are being treated at hospitals in Sydney, with some in a serious condition. The wounded police officers’ condition was described as “serious, verging on critical” and both were in surgery, Commissioner Lanyon said.

Homemade bombs were also found in a car linked to the deceased gunman. The police chief added: “Shortly after the shooting occurred, police located a vehicle in Campbell Parade at Bondi, which we believe has several improvised explosive devices.

“We have our rescue bomb disposal unit there at the moment working on that.”

Mr Lanyon said that the deceased offender had been known to the authorities, but there had been no “specific threat”.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry told Sky News that the shooting happened at an event at the beach celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, which began at sundown.

“This is the Jewish community at its best coming together to mark a happy occasion. If we were targeted deliberately in this way, it’s something of a scale that none of us could have ever fathomed. It’s a horrific thing,” he said, adding his media adviser had been wounded in the attack.

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Beachgoers fled after hearing the ‘pop pop’ of gunfire (UGC/AFP via Getty Images)

The UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer reacted the to the “deeply distressing news” in a post on X, adding: “Chanukah should be a time of celebration and joy. The news that the Bondi beach attack was an antisemitic terrorist attack against Jewish families at a Chanukah event is sickening.”

King Charles, who visited Bondi Beach in 2012, said he and the Queen were “appalled” by the attack.

“Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected so dreadfully, including the police officers who were injured while protecting members of their community,” he added.

“We commend the police, emergency services and members of the public whose heroic actions no doubt prevented even greater horror and tragedy.

“In times of hurt, Australians always rally together in unity and resolve. I know that the spirit of community and love that shines so brightly in Australia – and the light at the heart of the Chanukah festival – will always triumph over the darkness of such evil.”

The Metropolitan Police is increasing its visibility in Jewish communities ahead of any Hanukkah events in the wake of the attack, the mayor of London has said.

In a post on X, Sadiq Khan said: “My thoughts and condolences – along with the rest of London – are with everyone affected by the horrific attack at Bondi Beach, Australia today.”

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NEED TO KNOW

• A “person of interest” is in custody in relation to the shooting at Brown University that left at least two people dead and nine others injured on Dec. 13
• The gunman’s identity has not yet been made public, nor have any charges
• A shelter-in-place order for the Rhode Island college has been lifted as of Dec. 14

Editor’s note: This story has been revised to clarify that authorities have labeled the person detained as a “person of interest” and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting. They have not yet at this time labeled him a “suspect.”  

A “person of interest” is in police custody following the deadly mass shooting at Brown University.

PEOPLE can confirm that the Providence Police Department (PPD) has detained the individual in connection with the tragedy, which left at least two people dead and nine others injured.

Josh Estrella, the communications director for the mayor of Providence, tells PEOPLE that the shelter-in-place order for the Rhode Island college has also been lifted.

According to NBC News, the person of interest, a man, had “a unique characteristic” on the gun allegedly used in the shooting. The weapon was found when he was taken into custody, the outlet reported.

The individual’s identity has not yet been made public, nor have any charges. Col. Oscar Perez, the chief of police in Providence, said during a Dec. 14 press conference, per NBC News, that authorities are not searching for any other perpetrators.

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Brown University.

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Brown, an Ivy League school, first announced that there was an active shooter near Barus & Holley, a computer lab and engineering building on campus, shortly after 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Shortly after, officials falsely stated that a suspect was in custody, but said in a follow-up alert minutes later that no suspects had been apprehended.

Police previously provided a description of the person of interest, saying he was “a male dressed in black,” and later released security footage of the man believed to be the shooter.

Commander Timothy O’Hara said it is “unknown” how the individual entered the building where the shooting took place, but police had been “utilizing every resource possible” to find the perpetrator.

Brown University after the shooting on Dec. 13.

Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty 

Of the nine people injured in the incident, one was in critical condition, six were in critical but stable condition and two were stabilized, a Brown University Health spokesperson said, per NBC News. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley later said in a news conference on Dec. 14 that one person had been discharged, according to the outlet.

The identities of the deceased and injured have yet to be made public as of Dec. 14.

Despite the shelter-in-place order being lifted, Brown said in a message on its website, “Police activity continues in areas that are still considered an active crime scene.”

“Be advised that access to these areas of campus continues to be limited,” the school continued, adding that “community members who leave those buildings will be unable to return.”

University President Christina H. Paxson described the tragedy as “a day that no university community is ever prepared for.”

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