Veteran detective killed Bondi Beach gunman with long-range shot

A veteran New South Wales Police Force detective was responsible for killing one of the two gunmen behind the deadly Bondi Beach attack, firing a fatal shot from more than 100 feet away in what fellow officers described as an extraordinary act of marksmanship, according to a report by the New York Post.

Citing Australian media, the New York Post reported that the detective, who has more than 15 years of service and whose identity has not been publicly released, took cover behind a tree before shooting and killing Sajid Akram, 50, one of the accused attackers. Police sources described the shot to Australia’s Daily Telegraph as a “once-in-a-lifetime” shot.

The officer was estimated to be around 130 feet away when he fired, at a moment when chaos was unfolding along the crowded beachfront during a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, 14 December 2025.

Video footage aired by Sky News showed two gunmen firing into a crowd as people scrambled for cover. Local reports cited by the New York Post said many of the first officers who arrived at the scene were relatively junior and initially struggled to respond amid the scale of the violence.

Despite the danger, the detective reportedly exposed himself briefly to return fire, remaining steady as he aimed and neutralized Sajid Akram. Footage obtained by the Daily Telegraph captured the moment.

The detective was not the only person to act heroically. The New York Post reported that Ahmed el Ahmed, a 43-year-old father of two from Syria, confronted and disarmed the older Akram during the attack. El Ahmed managed to hold the suspect at gunpoint before being shot twice by the second gunman.

Sajid Akram was killed shortly afterward by the police detective.

Authorities said Sajid Akram’s son, Naveed Akram, 24, who is believed to be the second attacker, was also shot by police and remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The attack left at least 15 people dead and nearly 40 others wounded, making it the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in almost three decades, according to the New York Post.

Two police officers were critically injured after the suspects allegedly fired through the windshield of a patrol vehicle. A third officer was grazed by gunfire but reportedly did not realize she had been wounded until later.

Among the victims was 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest killed in the attack. Her teacher described her as “a bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her.” Also among the dead was Alex Kleytman, a Ukrainian-born Holocaust survivor who shielded his wife from the gunfire and died while protecting her.

As of the latest update cited by the New York Post, six victims remain in critical condition, while several others are still hospitalized across Sydney.