Detective Senior Constable Cesar Barraza, a 16-year veteran of the New South Wales Police based in Bondi, fatally shot one of the attackers during Sunday evening’s Hanukkah by the Sea event. Two gunmen opened fire on crowds near the beachfront, killing 15 people and injuring at least 42 in one of Australia’s deadliest mass shootings.
Barraza was among the first responders and fired from an estimated distance of 40 metres, striking suspects Sajid Akram, 50, who died at the scene, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, who was critically injured and later hospitalized. The shooting ended the rampage.
The incident is under a mandatory critical incident investigation. Barraza has been interviewed, and authorities are reviewing body-camera footage, ballistic evidence, and police communications. Forensic analysis will confirm which officer fired the fatal shot.
Law enforcement sources have called Barraza’s action a “shot of a lifetime,” noting he used a standard-issue Glock pistol at an unusually long range. He reportedly took cover behind a tree near Bondi Pavilion and fired toward a footbridge where the attackers were positioned.
Two other officers, Constables Jack Hibbert and Scott Dyson, were seriously injured while rescuing civilians. Hibbert underwent multiple surgeries and lost vision in one eye. Dyson was shot in the shoulder and abdomen and remains under treatment.
Police say the attackers arrived shortly before 6:40 p.m. in a silver Hyundai Elantra, armed with rifles and ammunition. Investigators are examining their recent overseas travel, including to the Philippines, as part of ongoing counterterrorism inquiries. The investigation remains active.
