PM Wong denounces Bondi Beach shooting as act of terrorism, offers condolences

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has written to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressing his condolences over the recent shooting at Bondi Beach.

The shooting, carried out by a father and son duo at the famed beach in Sydney, happened on Sunday (Dec 14) during a Jewish celebration to mark the beginning of Hanukkah. 

The mass shooting resulted in the deaths of 15 people with some 40 taken to hospital, including two police officers and four children, one of whom later died from her wounds, Reuters reported. The victims' ages ranged from as young as 10 to 87. 

In a letter on the same day, PM Wong shared that he was deeply saddened to learn about the tragic incident and labelled it as an "act of terrorism".

"This senseless violence struck a place cherished by Australians and visitors alike, including many Singaporeans," he said, condemning the shooting.

"Such acts have no place in our societies, and undermine the peace and security we all cherish."

PM Wong also extended his condolences to the affected families and expressed Singapore's solidarity with Australia.

Around 1,000 people had been at the beach attending the Hanukkah event before the father and his son duo opened fire, according to Australian police.

The 50-year-old gunman was also killed at the scene, while his 24-year-old son was wounded and is currently in critical condition, reported Reuters.

Officials have labelled the incident as an act of anti-Semitism, and are currently looking into the backgrounds of the alleged gunmen.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com