Australian PM details visa history of Bondi Beach shooting suspects, vows to strengthen gun laws

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has clarified the immigration status of the two suspects in the deadly Bondi beach shooting, while vowing to tighten the nation’s gun laws in the wake of an attack he condemned as an act of antisemitic terrorism.

Fifteen people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed when gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah event on Sydney’s famous beachfront on Sunday, December 14.

A father and son have been identified as the attackers by police.

In a detailed statement, Prime Minister Albanese outlined the suspects’ long-term residency in Australia. 

“The son is an Australian-born citizen. The father arrived in 1998 on a student visa, transferred in 2001 to a partner visa and after each trip overseas since then has been on resident return visas, which has occurred three times,” PM details.

The older gunman was shot and killed by the police at the scene. While his 24-year-old son remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The attack has been marked as Australia's deadliest shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which left 35 people dead and led to a drastic overhaul of the country’s firearm regulations.

Citing the recent tragedy, Albanese pledged to further strengthen those laws.