Shooting at Hanukkah Festival in Sydney

An American woman visiting family in Sydney described a scene of “panic chaos” at a crowded Hanukkah festival on Bondi Beach after gunshots rang out, causing hundreds to flee. Tanya Cohen shared her experience on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” saying that upon arriving at the annual “Hanukkah by the Sea” event, she initially thought the sounds were fireworks.

“But when it didn’t stop, that’s when we all understood there was an active shooter. It really turned into chaos,” Cohen recounted. “People were running across a busy road, cars still moving everywhere, just trying to get to safety.”

Cohen further explained that diners at a nearby restaurant began “jumping under the table,” while the shooting seemed to last close to ten minutes before it finally ceased.

Authorities reported that the attack specifically targeted the Jewish community and is being investigated as an act of terrorism. At least 12 people lost their lives, and 29 others were hospitalized, according to officials.

Cohen was near the gunman, who aimed at the festival instead of the street where folks were escaping. “My brother, who’s a security guard at the site, tried to help resuscitate someone and is still assisting police now,” she mentioned.

She labeled the incident a “targeted terrorist attack during Hanukkah”, emphasizing the presence of families and children at the celebration, as well as the tragic loss of a rabbi among the casualties.

In response to the shootings, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the event as “a vicious act of anti-Semitism and terrorism that struck the heart of our country” during a broadcast on SBS News.