Australian media has since identified one of the many heroes, an officer who fatally shot one of the attackers as Detective Senior Constable Cesar Barraza. Barraza is an officer based in the Bondi area with over 15 years of experience. Barraza killed 50-year-old Sajid Akram, one of the two responsible gunmen for the attack. 

  The attack began just before 7 p.m. during Bondi’s first night of Hanukkah celebration, where over 1,000 people gathered to enjoy the holiday. Police have stated Sajid Akram and his son, 34-year-old Naveed Akram, opened fire from a pedestrian bridge using rifles and shotguns. The pair specifically targeted families and members of the Sydney Jewish community. 

  This horrific act of violence unfolded over roughly 10 minutes according to video footage, despite an early bystander effort to disarm one of the gunmen near Archer Park, which ultimately led to the hero to be fatally shot. However, another unarmed man, Ahmed Al Ahmed, tackled Sajid Akram, briefly wrestling a rifle away from him. Ahmed’s act of bravery likely prevented any lives from continuing to be lost.

  Detective Barraza was captured moving approximately 150 feet from the attackers, a distance found nearly impossible for a handgun shot. However, Barraza fired at Sajid Akram, killing him instantly. The second attacker continued firing despite the fall of his father before being taken into police custody. Analysis of the footage discovered that over 100 shots were fired between both the attackers and police at the time.

  The second gunman, Naveed Akram, remains in critical condition and has been charged with 54 criminal offenses, including acts of terrorism and 15 counts of first degree murder. The pair has been found to have acted in support of Islamic State ideology, and police are amidst an investigation on a very recent trip the two took to the Philippines. 

  Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, said Australian intelligence sources identified an Islamic online video, supporting the attacker’s inspiration from the Islamic terrorist group, ISIS. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has publicly praised Barraza’s involvement in the event. “I am incredibly proud of the officer who has been identified, as I am of every police officer who was there on that day. The bravery they went through, to approach and resolve that situation, is incredible.”

  Lanyon also pointed out the serious questions that have come to light on the preparedness of officers at the time. “What happened on Sunday has changed the dynamic. It’s important as an organization, we consider everything to keep our officers and the community safe.” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns followed, rejecting police criticism and failure to act quickly enough. “The New South Wales police acted with bravery and integrity, they didn’t take a backward step, the engaged the gunman on the footbridge with handguns.”

  Two police officers were seriously wounded during the attack, including Constable Jack Hibbert, receiving wounds to the head, shoulder, and eye, and Constable Scott Dyson, who remains in critical condition in the ICU with undisclosed injuries. 

  The Bondi Beach massacre is the worst mass shooting seen in Australia since the Port Arthur tragedy in 1996, which led to vast gun law reforms. As funerals begin for the 15 lives taken on December 14, including an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor and 10-year-old child, Australia confronts difficult questions about the impacts of extremism and the safety of its general public.