Only 2 police officers were assigned to Sydney Chanukah event targeted in terror attack, official says

“I think it’s important to note that police, obviously, when the shooting began, did engage the shooters, and there are two in critical condition in NSW hospitals.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

An Australian official revealed Tuesday that only two police officers were on duty to patrol the high-risk Chanukah event hosting 2,000 people at Bondi Beach in Sydney, where a fatal shooting occurred Sunday.

This was in spite of warnings about widespread antisemitic threats and incidents in Australia.

“The police were tasked with being on the site during the festival. My understanding is that there were two in the park during or at the beginning of the shooting, the assassinations,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told Sky News Australia.

“And there were police in the vicinity, so a patrol car pulled up within moments of the firing beginning,” he said. “I think it’s important to note that police, obviously, when the shooting began, did engage the shooters, and there are two in critical condition in NSW hospitals.”

According to witness accounts, the two terrorists—a father who was killed during the attack and his son—fired on a crowd for 10 full minutes, killing at least 15 and injuring dozens.

Minns said the police force is now gathering information on the locations of other nearby officers at the time the attack began.

“We have several police officers who engaged with sidearms from 50 meters [160 feet] away, firing at someone who had a long-arm and a tactical advantage over NSW Police,” Minns said. “So they did engage, and they did shoot both of the offenders, killing one of them.”

One Muslim immigrant, Ahmed al Ahmed, wrestled with one of the terrorists and disarmed him but was shot and is now in the hospital with severe injuries.

Reuven Morrison threw objects at the terrorist after he was disarmed by Ahmed al Ahmed, but Morrison was later murdered in the attack.

In addition, footage reveals that Boris and Sofia Gurman also struggled with the terrorists but were killed before they could wrest the weapon away from them.