Forensic Teams Process Evidence at Beach Crime Scene

Forensic investigators worked through Monday processing evidence from the Bondi Beach crime scene where gunmen killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration Sunday evening. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the site to lay flowers and condemn the antisemitic terrorism as Australia mourned with flags at half-mast following the nation’s deadliest shooting in decades.
The beachside park where approximately 1,000 Jewish community members had gathered remained cordoned off as specialists collected ballistic evidence, documented the scene, and gathered physical materials that would help reconstruct the roughly ten-minute attack. The public nature of the location complicated evidence collection, with investigators working to distinguish materials related to the shooting from the general debris of a crowded beach area.
Authorities are building cases against surviving attacker Naveed Akram, 24, who remained in critical condition under guard in hospital. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was killed by security forces during the assault, bringing total deaths to sixteen. Forensic evidence will be crucial in establishing the sequence of events and potentially identifying any accomplices or supporters who aided the father-son pair.
The investigation extended beyond the immediate crime scene to include the attackers’ residences, communications, and movements leading up to the assault. Forty people remained hospitalized with injuries, including two police officers whose serious conditions had stabilized. Among the recovering victims was 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, who had disarmed one shooter despite being wounded, with investigators examining the weapon he wrestled away.
This marks Australia’s worst gun violence in nearly three decades, requiring comprehensive forensic analysis to support both criminal prosecution and policy discussions. The evidence gathered will help authorities understand how the attack was planned, how weapons were obtained, and whether warning signs existed that could inform future prevention efforts. As technical specialists continued their meticulous work, the beach remained closed to the public, a painful reminder of violence in a space typically open and welcoming.