A shooting at Bondi Beach, one of Australia’s most famous beaches, has now claimed 16 lives, authorities confirmed on Monday morning. According to the police, the attack was carried out by a father and son, and the case is now being treated as an act of terrorism. As of now, more than three dozen people are still in the hospital, many of them in critical condition. The victims include children, elderly people, and entire families, with ages ranging from 10 to 87 years old.
Who were the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting?
Authorities are still confirming details, but several victims have now been identified. They came from different backgrounds and countries, but all had gathered to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Here’s everything we know about the victims.
Bondi Beach shooting victim: Rabbi Eli Schlanger
Rabbi Eli Schlanger was one of the main organisers of the event and served as the assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, according to the NYT. He was killed in the attack. His death was confirmed by Chabad, a global Jewish organisation in Brooklyn that supports Jewish communities worldwide.
He grew up in Temple Fortune, North London, and his family attends Kinloss Synagogue in Finchley. His cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis, described him as “vivacious, energetic, full of life and very warm,” according to the Guardian. Rabbi Schlanger and his wife Chayala recently celebrated the birth of their youngest child in October.
Rabbi Schlanger had served the Bondi community for 18 years. He was also a chaplain and a familiar face in the local Jewish community. In the past, Schlanger had spoken about facing difficult times by staying strong in one’s identity. Chabad quoted him as saying that in moments of darkness, the answer is to live your faith more openly and proudly. In 2023, he was also part of a group of rabbis who visited Israel after the October 7 Hamas-led attack, according to the Australian Jewish News.
Bondi Beach shooting victim: Dan Elkayam
Dan Elkayam, a French citizen, was also killed in the shooting. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed his death on Sunday. In a message shared on social media, Macron said he was heartbroken and described the attack as antisemitic terrorism. Elkayam had been in Sydney celebrating Hanukkah and was attending the Bondi Beach event when the shooting began, Chabad said.
Bondi Beach shooting victim: Alex Kleytman
Alex Kleytman, originally from Ukraine, was another victim. He was a Holocaust survivor and had come to the event with his children and grandchildren. Chabad said Kleytman died while protecting his wife, Larisa, from the gunman’s bullets. His actions saved her life. He is survived by his wife, two children, and 11 grandchildren.
Larisa told local news outlet, “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.”
Bondi Beach shooting victim: Reuven Morrison
Reuven Morrison, a businessman, was originally from the Soviet Union. According to Chabad, he discovered his Jewish identity after moving to Sydney. He later divided his time between Sydney and Melbourne, where he and his wife moved so their daughter could pursue her education.
A 10-year-old girl died and was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital.
An Israeli citizen was also among the dead.
Bondi Beach shooting: Those who were injured
42 people were taken to hospitals. 38 are stable, with five in critical condition. Among them is Arsen Ostrovsky, who moved from Israel to Australia just two weeks ago. He is set to lead the Australia-Israel & Jewish Affairs Council. Speaking to Australian media, Ostrovsky said he saw one gunman firing in all directions. A bullet grazed his head, but he later shared on social media that he is doing better. “Bullet grazed head. Lot of bleeding. Doctors said miracle survived… Worst thing was being apart from my wife + kids at that instance. Thankfully they got out OK. Children and elderly everywhere. Felt like scene from Nova. Incredible seeing how everyone rushed to help,” he wrote on X.
A local hero, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner from Sutherland Shire, rushed to tackle a gunman. He was shot twice, in the arm and hand, but is recovering in the hospital.
Evan Zlatkis, media director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, told the Daily Telegraph he heard dozens of gunshots. “I thought it was rubber bullets, but it’s gone into my own skin and into my leg,” he said. “I’ve been shot myself. They bandaged me up. I’m ok.”
Police are still investigating the attack to understand how it happened and why the attackers targeted the event.