A series of deadly shooting incidents over the weekend left communities shaken in Australia and the United States. This is the weekend news wrap-up:
Australia: Terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney
In Australia, at least 15 people were killed and dozens injured in a terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday evening, during a large gathering celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Police allege the attackers were a father-and-son duo who used legally obtained firearms.
The younger suspect, Naveed Akram, 24, was arrested at the scene with critical injuries. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police. Authorities said the older man held a firearms licence for more than a decade and had six registered weapons, four of which were recovered at the scene.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Naveed Akram had previously been known to security agencies after coming to the attention of Australia's domestic intelligence service in 2019, though he was assessed at the time as posing no ongoing threat. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says changes to gun laws are "almost certain" as investigators examine how licensed firearms were used in a mass-casualty attack.
The violence also drew attention to acts of bravery during the attack. A bystander, later identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, a Sydney fruit shop owner and father of two, tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen despite being shot twice. Authorities said his actions likely saved lives.
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United States: Mass shooting at Brown University in Providence
Meanwhile in the United States, a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, left two people dead and nine wounded on Saturday as final exams were underway. Ten of those shot were students, university officials said.
Police confirmed on Sunday that a person of interest was taken into custody, ending a large-scale manhunt that had locked down the Ivy League campus for several hours. Investigators said the shooter fired more than 40 rounds inside a classroom using a handgun. One victim remains in critical condition, while several others require intensive care.
The back-to-back attacks reignited debate over public safety and gun control on both sides of the Pacific. While Rhode Island has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States, Australian officials are now facing pressure to review firearm licensing systems following the Bondi Beach attack.
Beyond civilian targets, violence also struck United States forces overseas. In central Syria, two American soldiers and a United States civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush by an Islamic State gunman, according to the United States military. As investigations continue, both countries are grappling with the human toll of violence that unfolded over a single weekend.
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