The Worst Australian Case In Decades - The Bondi Shooting.

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Abdullah Asher
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Ahmed El Ahmed
3. 6:00 – 9:00: Naveid Akram, Sajjid Akram
4. 9:00 – 12:00: Alexander Cedman, Matilda, Peter Mega, Rabbi Eli Schlanganger
5. 12:00 – 14:39: Dan Elkman

Notable quotes from "The Worst Australian Case In Decades - The Bondi Shooting. "

• Escape. But some bystanders, instead of only running away, turned back to help the wounded. A man named Abdullah Asher, who had been driving by, stopped his car to warn others…

  about Abdullah Asher · at 2:28

• Following morning, national media citing police sources had identified the gunman. Their names are Sajjid Akram, aged 50, and Naveid Akram, aged 24. The two killers were father…

  about Sajjid Akram · at 7:42

• Here are just some of the victims who were killed. Matilda, 10, the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach massacre.

  about Matilda · at 11:11

• Before retirement. On the day of the attack, he was working as a freelance photographer at the Hanukkah event. Dan Elkman, a 28-year-old French Israeli citizen who was in…

  about Dan Elkman · at 12:01

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Abdullah Asher — Person · 1 mention · first at 2:33
• Ahmed El Ahmed — Person · 1 mention · first at 3:13
  Moments of the night was captured on video and has since been shared worldwide. An absolute hero named Ahmed al Ahmed decided not to run, but instead to take on one of the…
• Sajjid Akram — Person · 1 mention · first at 7:47
• Naveid Akram — Person · 1 mention · first at 7:50
  Police sources had identified the gunman. Their names are Sajjid Akram, aged 50, and Naveid Akram, aged 24. The two killers were father and son. The father and son pair lived…
• Matilda — Person · 1 mention · first at 11:13
• Rabbi Eli Schlanganger — Person · 1 mention · first at 11:32
  Attended the Hanukkah event with her parents and little sister. They had to watch her die. Rabbi Eli Schlanganger, a beloved Jewish faith leader who had served as a rabbi for 18 years.
• Alexander Cedman — Person · 1 mention · first at 11:40
  Alexander Cedman, an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor who had endured the horrors of World War II as a child. He immigrated from Europe decades ago, seeking a safe life in Australia. Peter.
• Peter Mega — Person · 1 mention · first at 11:50
  Horrors of World War II as a child. He immigrated from Europe decades ago, seeking a safe life in Australia. Peter Mega, a retired New South Wales police officer and community…
• Dan Elkman — Person · 1 mention · first at 12:05

Full transcript with timestamps

0:04 This case takes place on Bondai Beach in the year 2025. Bondai Beach is a place that needs no introduction. It's a world famous beachside suburb of Sydney, Australia, drawing roughly 2.6 million visitors each and every year. A mix of residents, backpackers, and tourists from all around the globe. It also is home to a large Jewish community. Sunday the 14th of December 2025 was the first night of Hanukkah. Members of Sydney's Jewish community had gathered in a small park behind Bondi Beach for a public celebration. Roughly 1,000 people, including families with children and elderly residents, were enjoying the holiday event in the park. Thousands of people were also laying on the beach.

0:50 Meanwhile, two men were approaching in a car, a car filled with weapons. At around 6:45 p.m., they exited their vehicle. With weapons in hand, they made their way to a bridge overlooking the grassy area called Archer Park, where people were celebrating. And what followed was the deadliest attack since Port Arthur. Without warning, and from an elevated position, the two gunmen opened fire on the crowd of Jewish people. They fired round after round. Witnesses described the shooters methodically aiming to hit people. The gunfire continued for several minutes.

1:27 Some onlookers initially hesitated, thinking that the loud bangs might be fireworks. After all, it was supposed to be a festive night. But when the reality of the situation was realized, panic set in. People screamed and ran in all directions, desperate to seek cover. But multiple people were shot and left bleeding on the ground. Survivors have recounted the harrowing moments when the shooting erupted. One witness described the utter carnage. They said, "I saw children being targeted. I saw old people who couldn't move being shot.

2:02 This was a massacre. There was blood everywhere. People dropped to the ground or ran for their lives. Parents shielded kids and those who couldn't escape were mercilessly gunned down. Several witnesses noted that the attack went on for so long that people were shouting warnings to each other. Whenever the two killers began reloading, people screamed that it was time to run. This gave small moments of opportunity for the crowd to escape. But some bystanders, instead of only running away, turned back to help the wounded. A man named Abdullah Asher, who had been driving by, stopped his car to warn others and tend to victims. He helped an injured police officer who had been shot, holding the officer's hand and trying to keep him conscious until medics arrived. When paramedics later took over, he himself was covered in blood. A mother, who remains anonymous, had also been hit by a bullet. Her two

2:58 young children stood next to her, terrified. The mother fought hard to stay conscious, trying to talk to her kids, assuring them that everything will be okay. One of the most dramatic moments of the night was captured on video and has since been shared worldwide. An absolute hero named Ahmed al Ahmed decided not to run, but instead to take on one of the killers. Ahmed is a local fruit shop owner who happened to be there on the day. He was having coffee with a friend in Bondi when he heard the gunshots and witnessed the carnage unfolding. He chose to fight back when he saw an opportunity. As one of the gunmen moved off the bridge and paused behind a tree to reload, Ahmed sprinted towards him from behind. Ahmed, dressed in the white shirt, lunged at the gunman's arms and neck, wrapping him in a bear hug and wrenching the long firearm out of his hands. Ahmed even briefly pointed the rifle back at the

3:54 attacker, causing the now disorientated gunman to stumble backwards in surprise. The moment was incredibly tense, and this courageous man likely saved many, many lives. However, it came at a cost. As he subdued the first shooter, the second gunman positioned on the foot bridge with a rifle noticed and he took aim at Ahmed. Ahmed was shot multiple times. Witnesses say around four or five bullets struck him, resulting in horrific injuries. Meanwhile, the shooter returned back to the bridge where the other shooter was. And there was even more acts of bravery. a lifeguard who, as bullets were firing out, saw someone panicking in the water and struggling to swim to shore. This lifeguard without any hesitation ran into the water and rescued that person struggling to swim, knowing full well that he could have been shot as he attempted to save them. Another woman saw a small girl separated from her

4:56 parents, alone and terrified. This woman shielded the girl with her own body as shots rained down. A girl she didn't even know. As the shooting continued, numerous calls to emergency services were made and the police were quick to respond. Within minutes, armed officers converged on the scene, braving the open fire to confront the attackers. Police units took up positions around the footbridge and a gunfight ensued between the shooters and the police. Eventually, the police overpowered the shooters roughly 11 to 15 minutes after the first shots were fired. Both perpetrators were shot by the police, effectively ending the attack. One of the men was struck by a police sniper bullet and died at the scene. The other was hit multiple times and he collapsed to the ground. He attempted to get up and continue the fight, but he was shot again and finally went down. no longer able to continue.

5:56 Officers moved in and secured the weapons. Because one of the killers was still alive, the police had to immediately provide first aid and then placed him under arrest as paramedics arrived. But the moments right after the shooters went down were chaotic. Bystanders who had just lived through a literal nightmare began emerging from their hiding places. Some were in shock. Others were outraged. In one scene caught on video, an outraged bystander leaped onto the foot bridge where the killers were. This man can be seen repeatedly kicking and stomping on the wounded shooter's head. Police officers quickly pulled the bystander away and secured the shooter to prevent any further vigilante justice. Tensions were and still are skyhigh. The one killer who survived was rushed to hospital under armed guard. Sirens filled the night as reinforcements, ambulances, and tactical units poured into Bondi,

6:54 uncertain if there were any other additional threats. Within minutes, dozens of officers had formed a perimeter, pushing back onlookers and clearing the area so paramedics could treat the injured. There were dozens of people laying on the ground, bleeding out. In the immediate aftermath, police briefly feared a possible third accomplice and even discovered an improvised explosive device in the attacker's vehicle, which bomb squads were able to safely remove. By the next day, authorities confirmed that the two gunmen had acted alone.

7:28 As Australia grappled with the shock of this mass shooting, investigators quickly began piecing together who the perpetrators were and what drove them to such violence. Police initially withheld the suspect's names. However, by the following morning, national media citing police sources had identified the gunman. Their names are Sajjid Akram, aged 50, and Naveid Akram, aged 24. The two killers were father and son. The father and son pair lived in Sydney's western suburbs, and until the attack, they had not attracted any major public attention. Sajjid Dakram the father immigrated to Australia in 1998 on a student visa and later became a permanent resident. His son Naveiv was born in Australia and grew up in Sydney.

8:18 Navevid worked as a brick layer in the construction industry and was generally described by acquaintances as a quiet reserved person. He didn't have any significant criminal record. But authorities later revealed that Naveiv had been on the radar of intelligence agencies a few years prior. In late 2019, Australia's domestic security service investigated him for about 6 months due to his associations with individuals linked to Islamic extremism. At that time, Naveiv was examined and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or him engaging in violence. In hindsight, this revelation has prompted scrutiny over whether more could have been done to monitor or dradicalize him before he turned to violence. Sajjid, the father, has no known history of extremism in the public record, but he was a licensed firearm owner. In fact, the police have confirmed that he held a gun license

9:18 since 2015 and legally owned six firearms. Some of these weapons were used in the deadly attack. Since the killings, all these weapons have been accounted for. So why did they do this? While the investigation is ongoing, early evidence strongly suggests the attack was ideologically motivated. It's basically been confirmed that this was an anti-semitic attack. The target was a Jewish celebration on the first night of Hanukkah, indicating the shooters chose the time and place deliberately to maximize harm to the Jewish community.

9:53 Authorities have classified the massacre as a terrorist attack. In the attacker's vehicle, police found two black bags bearing the emblem of the Islamic State, as well as writings that are being analyzed right now. There are reports of a possible manifesto, but this is yet to be confirmed by the police, at least at the time of making this video. People who knew the family have expressed shock. Some neighbors and former co-workers described Naveiv as a loner who showed an interest in hunting and guns, but they have said that they never imagined he could carry out such hatredfueled violence. It appears that the father and son largely kept their radicalization hidden. Since the aftermath, police and intelligence agencies are urgently retracing the pair's activities and online footprints to understand how they plotted the attack and whether or not any warning signs were missed. The human toll of

10:48 this tragedy is heartbreaking. In total, 15 innocent people were killed in the shooting. The victim's ages range from just 10 years old to 87. Additionally, 49 people were injured. Among them at least two police officers who responded to the attack. Both officers are now recovering and are in stable conditions. Here are just some of the victims who were killed. Matilda, 10, the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach massacre. Matilda was just a local girl described by her family as a happy kid who loved school and had lots of friends. She attended the Hanukkah event with her parents and little sister. They had to watch her die. Rabbi Eli Schlanganger, a beloved Jewish faith leader who had served as a rabbi for 18 years.

11:40 Alexander Cedman, an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor who had endured the horrors of World War II as a child. He immigrated from Europe decades ago, seeking a safe life in Australia. Peter Mega, a retired New South Wales police officer and community volunteer. He had served almost 40 years in the police before retirement. On the day of the attack, he was working as a freelance photographer at the Hanukkah event. Dan Elkman, a 28-year-old French Israeli citizen who was in Sydney for work and to see friends. In the wake of the attack, outpourings of grief and solidarity have filled the Bondi community. Vigils and memorials were held at the beach. Flowers, candles, and messages piled to honor those lost and injured. Families are now mourning their parents, siblings, and children. Blood donation centers saw lines of people waiting hours to help the wounded in the hospitals. Thankfully, Ahmed Alamemed,

12:41 the man who rushed one of the killers and was shot, is now okay. Despite serious wounds to his shoulder and chest, Ahmed survived. He was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery. Doctors said that his injuries could have been fatal, but miraculously Ahmed pulled through. As he recovered in a hospital bed, the public hailed him as the Bondi hero. Even the New South Wales premiier visited him in hospital to say thank you. Ahmed's bravery has been widely praised. A campaign for him and his young family collected over 1 million Aussie dollars within 24 hours.

13:18 a testament to the gratitude and support from the community. What's awful is that it was only in April of 2024 that a lone attacker carried out a knife rampage in Bondi Junction where six people were killed. Two horrifying massacres in such a short period of time. What occurred at Bondai Beach that summer evening was the worst mass shooting in Australia in almost three decades. The last time this happened in this kind of scale was in Port Arthur, where a lone gunman named Martin Bryant shot and killed 35 people. What's weird for me personally in this case is that my best friend lives in Bondi and pretty much spends all of his time on the beach. It's the first time that I've had to call someone to make sure that they're not dead, which is a rather weird feeling. But the fact that this was committed by a father and son is just beyond shocking. Bondi is the last place that anyone really expected

14:13 such a crime to unfold. And there is no doubt that this will be remembered as one of the worst cases in modern Australian history. But the acts of heroism displayed by so many people should be remembered too.

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "The Worst Australian Case In Decades - The Bondi Shooting. "?

In order: 0:00 Abdullah Asher; 3:00 Ahmed El Ahmed; 6:00 Naveid Akram, Sajjid Akram; 9:00 Alexander Cedman, Matilda, Peter Mega, Rabbi Eli Schlanganger; 12:00 Dan Elkman.

What is mentioned in this Disturban episode?

9 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Abdullah Asher, Ahmed El Ahmed, Sajjid Akram, Naveid Akram, Matilda, Rabbi Eli Schlanganger. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Worst Australian Case In Decades - The Bondi Shooting. "?

The episode runs 15 min; the transcript is about 2,244 words in 18 timestamped sections.

More from Disturban

• All analyzed episodes
• People mentioned on Disturban
• Topics mentioned on Disturban