What We Know About the Fatalities of the Bondi Beach Shooting

A minimum of 16 lives were killed and over 40 were wounded when assailants opened fire at a Hanukah celebration at Bondi Beach, a tragedy local police are describing as a terrorist attack.

According to the most recent information, officials have announced the number of fatalities is 16, encompassing one of the suspected gunmen. Furthermore, 42 people with injuries were transported to medical facilities.

Those who died are yet to be formally identified, but authorities state their ages are between 10 and 87 years old.

Here are the victims who are known so far.

Eli Schlanger

London-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, was the first to be publicly identified.

Described as a father of five children, he served as the assistant rabbi at a local Jewish cultural centre. Family members and acquaintances described him as “lively, dynamic, and vibrant and a very warm outgoing person who loved to help people”.

“How is it possible that a joyful rabbi who went to a beach to share joy and positivity, to make the world a better place, have his life ended in this way?” a family member remarked.

Schlanger and his wife celebrated the birth of their newest son in October.

Alexander Kleytman

Alexander Kleytman was also among those killed, according to his wife.

She described the events before the attack, saying they had been standing together when the gunfire began. “He shielded me because he wanted to stay near me,” she recalled.

The couple were both Holocaust survivors, having experienced unspeakable terror in their youth. They had later moved to Australia from Eastern Europe.

Dan Elkayam

French foreign ministry have announced that French man Dan Elkayam is among the dead.

In a statement, a senior official said that France shared the grief of his family, the Jewish community, and the Australian people.

“This low act is a fresh and tragic example of a disgusting rise of hatred against Jews that we must eradicate,” the statement continued.

One Child

A 10-year-old girl who was rushed to the Sydney Children’s Hospital has been confirmed among the fatalities, authorities stated.

One Israeli Citizen

One victim from Israel was a fatality in the incident, as per multiple sources referencing the Israeli foreign ministry.

Those Injured

From the 42 people transported to hospitals, many are still receiving treatment, with five in critical condition. The injured include two officers who responded to the attack.

One of the injured is a bystander who attempted to intervene to tackle one of the attackers. Described as a hero, he received bullet wounds but is expected to recover in hospital.

Arsen Ostrovsky

Among the injured is Arsen Ostrovsky, a community leader. Sources state he was hurt and underwent treatment in hospital.

Communicating, he described the incident as an “absolute bloodbath,” but also praised the actions of those who rushed to help. He stated he believed it was a “miracle” he survived.

Evan Zlatkis

Evan Zlatkis, a community director, was another casualty in the shooting. He said he heard “a large number” of shots.

“Initially, I believed it was something less lethal, but it penetrated my own skin and into my leg,” he said. “I’ve been shot myself. They bandaged me up. I’m ok.”