Suspects in the Sydney stabbing and shooting incident. Screenshot from News.com.au

Major gun violence incidents resulting in over 10 casualties each occurred in the United States and Australia over the weekend.

On the 14th (local time), a mass shooting targeting what appeared to be a Jewish event with about 1,000 attendees took place in a famous Australian beach, leaving at least 16 people dead, including one child. Separately, a shooting incident occurred on the campus of Brown University, a prestigious university in the eastern United States, on the 13th, resulting in at least two deaths.

◇ 11 Dead in Bondi Beach Shooting…One Suspect Fatally Shot

On the 14th, a mass shooting occurred at Bondi Beach, a famous beach in Sydney, Australia, killing 11 people, including a child and a police officer. One of two male suspects was fatally shot at the scene, while the other was apprehended but severely injured.

According to Reuters and Australian media outlet News.com.au, Australian police received reports of multiple gunshots at Bondi Beach in eastern Sydney, New South Wales (NSW) around 6:45 PM that day.

Foreign media reported that 11 people, including a child and a police officer, and one suspect died in the incident, with 29 others injured, including two police officers.

Local police fatally shot one of the two suspects and apprehended the other. The apprehended suspect is reportedly in critical condition.

Initially, only 8 people were reported injured, but subsequently, more fatalities were confirmed.

Witnesses reported that two gunmen dressed in black opened fire.

The NSW Police issued a statement shortly after the incident, stating, "Police are responding to an incident at Bondi Beach. Everyone at the scene is advised to evacuate."

Videos circulating on social media show multiple gunshots, police sirens, and tourists fleeing in panic on the beach.

A citizen, hiding behind a car, was also captured on video running towards a gunman, disarming him, only for the gunman to then flee towards the water.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated, "Today we have seen Australians run into danger to help others. These Australians are heroes, and their courage saved [other] lives."

Local police, acting on a report of a bomb planted under a bridge, discovered an improvised explosive device (IED) in the suspect's car at the scene.

Bondi Beach is one of Australia's most famous coastlines, attracting a large number of surf enthusiasts and tourists, especially on weekends.

At the time of the shooting, a Jewish event with over 1,000 attendees was taking place on the beach.

Based on this, News.com.au reported that the incident is presumed to be a targeted attack on the Jewish event.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated at an event in Jerusalem that day, "Our brothers and sisters were attacked by evil terrorists as they were about to light the first candle of Hanukkah. This was a brutal attack."

He added, "We will fight the wave of antisemitism that is rising," urging Australian authorities to strengthen efforts to eradicate antisemitism.

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival of dedication commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple, typically celebrated with lighting candles around the end of the Gregorian calendar year.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Saar also wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter): "(This attack is) a result of antisemitic riots that have occurred on Australian streets over the past two years. The Australian government, which received numerous warning signals, must be held accountable."

However, Australian authorities have not yet determined the motive of the suspects.

Nevertheless, Australian police are investigating the shooting as a terrorist incident and are looking into whether there are other suspects or any masterminds behind it.

Australia is a country where mass shootings do not occur very frequently.

Following a mass shooting in Tasmania in 1996 that killed 35 people, the Australian government banned the ownership of automatic and semi-automatic firearms.

However, prior to that, there were mass shootings in 2014 that killed 5 people and in 2018 that killed 7 people. The perpetrators in both incidents murdered their families before taking their own lives.

Later, in 2022, a shooting incident in a suburban area west of Brisbane, Queensland, resulted in the deaths of three people, including two police officers, and the perpetrators, three individuals, were fatally shot.

Brown University, where the shooting occurred. AP=Yonhap News

◇ Shooting at Brown University, an Ivy League Institution in the US East Coast… At Least 2 Dead, 9 Injured

Earlier on the 13th, a shooting incident occurred on the campus of Brown University, one of the prestigious Ivy League universities on the US East Coast, leaving at least two people dead.

According to US media, including AP and CNN, two people died and nine were injured in the shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

While police are focusing their efforts on apprehending the suspect, the Mayor of Providence, Brett Smiley, announced the arrest of one individual on the morning of the 14th who appeared to be a "person of interest."

According to the university, the incident occurred near the seven-story building "Barus and Holley," which houses the School of Engineering and the Department of Physics.

Founded in 1764, Brown University is the seventh-oldest university in the United States. It has a total of about 10,000 students, including approximately 7,000 undergraduates. US media reported that its undergraduate acceptance rate is 5.4%, making it a highly competitive prestigious university.

On this Saturday, it was the final exam period for the fall semester, and there were many students on campus.

Major US media outlets, including CNN and Fox News, are providing live coverage of the incident as top news.