Today, the number of fatalities from the recent terror attack increased to 15, including one of the attackers. The other assailant is currently in police custody, critically injured. Authorities anticipate he will recover sufficiently to face prosecution.

The victims range in age from 10-year-old Matilda Bee Britvan, the youngest, to 87-year-old Alex Kleytman, who had survived the Holocaust.

Among those tragically killed was Peter Meagher, a former police officer who was capturing photographs at the Chanukah by the Sea celebration. The attack also claimed the lives of two rabbis, Eli Schlanger and Yaakov Levitan.

As of this evening, 27 individuals remain hospitalized. Of these, six are in critical condition, while another six are critically stable.

The attackers have been identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveen.

Sajid was fatally shot by police during the incident, and Naveen sustained critical injuries.

This afternoon, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the younger man, who is an Australian-born citizen, had been on authorities’ radar six years ago, having been investigated by ASIO for six months.

“The son first came to attention in October 2019,” he said.

“He was examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.

“(He was investigated because of) people he was associated with, rather than things that he, himself, had done.”

Sajid, meanwhile, was a licenced gun owner and gun club member who legally owned six longarm firearms.

He had moved to Australia in 1998 on a student visa, transferred to a partner visa in 2001, and understood to be on a resident return visa (RRV) at the time of the shooting.

But as the country learnt more about the men who carried out the vile attack, so too did everyday citizens do their part to help out.

Injured in the aftermath, he is now recovering in hospital, has met with Premier Chris Minns, and can look forward to an astounding reward for his incredible bravery: a crowdfunding effort has already raised more than $1 million for the fruit shop owner.

In Canberra, politicians turned to what they can do in the aftermath of the deadliest shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Also from the prime minister – and many other leaders – was a call for unity, for Australians to embrace each other in the wake of the country’s worst-ever terror attack.

“What I want is for Australians to come together,” Anthony Albanese said.

“For this to be reinforcing the need for us to promote national unity. And that is critical.

“There is no place in Australia for antisemitism.

“There is no place for hatred.”

If you have been impacted by the terror attack in Bondi there is support available.

To contact Lifeline Australia, call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. For people under 25 years old, you can contact Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800. Both of these are available on a 24/7 basis.