SYDNEY, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) said on Sunday night that 12 people have died following a shooting targeting Sydney's Jewish community at Bondi Beach.
One of the offenders was among the dead and another one is in custody, Premier of NSW Chris Minns said at a press conference.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the attack to be "a terrorist incident," adding that 29 more people were hospitalized with injuries.
Minns said that the incident occurred at around 6:40 p.m. when a crowd gathered at Bondi Beach to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights.
"What should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in that community with families and supporters has been shattered by this horrifying evil attack," he said.
Lanyon said that police are investigating whether other offenders were involved in the attack.
He said that officers at the scene located a vehicle near the beach, believed to contain several improvised explosive devices, and that the bomb disposal unit was continuing to work on it.
Corresponding Hanukkah events that were due to take place in Melbourne were cancelled due to safety concerns, and additional police resources were deployed to the city's southeast suburbs with large Jewish populations.
Following the incident, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee.
At a press conference later, he called the attack "an act of evil antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation."
Australian Security Intelligence Organization Director-General Mike Burgess said the national terrorism threat level would remain at "probable," which means there is a greater than 50 percent chance of an onshore attack or attack planning in the next twelve months.
The Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney said it had not received reports of casualties involving Chinese citizens by early Monday morning local time. ■
