Flags in Australia will be lowered to half-mast in a sign of national mourning after the shooting on Bondi Beach, in which 15 people died and one of the attackers was killed, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced last night, quoted by Agence France-Presse.
"Flags will be lowered to half-mast across the country today as a mark of respect for the victims and the injured", Albanese stressed. Authorities describe the attack as terrorist and anti-Semitic.
"Evil has been unleashed on Bondi Beach in a way that surpasses all imagination", Albanese said earlier. "This is a targeted attack against Australian Jews on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith – "a malicious, anti-Semitic and terrorist act that struck at the heart of our nation," he added. "An attack on Australian Jews is an attack on all Australians."
Australian police today revised the death toll to fifteen, saying the sixteenth victim was one of the attackers killed in the attack, AFP reported, citing a statement from New South Wales police in the "Ex".
The two gunmen were a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son, Australian police said. The 50-year-old man died, the 24-year-old is currently in hospital, New South Wales Police Commissioner Malcolm Lyon told a news conference.
Police are not looking for any other suspects, Reuters and DPA added. Lyon added that the older of the two men had a permit for six weapons. Those weapons were used in the attack and have been confiscated.
Lyon also said that two "active" explosive devices were found, which were removed and defused by sappers.
The improvised explosive devices were "quite simple in design", but added: "I am very glad that these devices were not activated".
Lyon added that reports that the attacker's car was covered with a black Islamic State flag "will be part of the investigation". Police are confident that no third person was involved in the attack.
He previously said that one of the attackers was known to authorities, but there was no "specific threat".