Minutes of Terror: What Witnesses Saw in the Bondi Beach Shooting

A peaceful holiday evening at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach turned into a scene of chaos, horror, and heroism on Sunday, December 14, 2025, when gunmen opened fire on crowds gathered for a Hanukkah celebration. What witnesses described as moments of terror lasted for what felt like an eternity—an eruption of violence that left families running for cover, bystanders wounded, and a community in shock.

It was shortly after 6:45 p.m. when the first shots rang out near Campbell Parade, close to where the Chanukah by the Sea event was taking place. At first, some attendees mistook the popping sounds for fireworks—a cruel misunderstanding that would be replaced by outright panic within seconds.

“I heard a few pops, and I freaked out and ran,” said Lachlan Moran, a visitor from Melbourne. “Everyone just dropped all their possessions and ran. People were crying, and it was just horrible.”

Within moments, the calm of the beach dissolved into chaos. Witnesses reported dozens of shots fired in rapid succession—enough that many felt it was “bang, bang, bang” without pause. Some estimated 40–50 shots echoed across the beach and park area as crowds scrambled to get away.

Families and children became unintended targets in a scene that quickly resembled a war zone. Sarah Frydman, who was attending the event with her daughter, described finding shelter inside a nearby building with other terrified attendees. “There were lots of kids crying,” she said, recalling how terrified people stayed hidden for nearly half an hour until authorities told them it was safer to move.

Others recalled seeing victims fall as they sought safety. Richard Hasten, another witness, told reporters he saw a woman bleeding near him and helped apply pressure to her wounds. “There were a lot of people injured,” he said, remembering the sudden shift from celebration to horror.

Across streets and beach paths, people yelled for others to take cover behind walls, benches, and cars. One mother explained how she moved a wooden bench to shield her children from the gunfire, while others hid inside restaurants and surf clubs, trembling and confused as shots continued.

The terror was punctuated by moments of extraordinary bravery. Amid the gunfire, one bystander charged toward a shooter and disarmed him, tackling the gunman and wresting away the weapon before placing it safely on the ground. The act, captured in widely shared video, was hailed by New South Wales officials as one of the most remarkable scenes witnessed that night.

Emergency services swarmed the area as sirens wailed and ambulances raced in. Lifeguards used surfboards to help transport the wounded, while police cordoned off streets and urged all civilians to seek cover.

Once the shooting subsided, the scale of the tragedy became apparent: dozens of people were killed or wounded, families were torn apart, and a community known for its vibrant beach culture was left reeling from an unprecedented terror attack.

In the minutes after the attack, the mood shifted from disbelief to mourning. Locals and international visitors alike spoke about the surreal and terrifying experience of hearing gunfire where they expected laughter and festive music—a stark reminder of how quickly ordinary life can be shattered.