TL;DR
During the Bondi massacre, police were outgunned with 9mm Glock pistols against attackers armed with rifles, a royal commission revealed. A plan to equip officers with long-arm weapons is underway but will take at least 12 months to implement.
Police were outgunned at the Bondi massacre on 14 December, armed with 9mm Glock pistols in a gun battle against rifles, the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion has heard.
New South Wales police deputy commissioner David Hudson gave evidence to the commission that police officers put themselves in danger to shoot and neutralise the attackers.
“Obviously, on the 14th of December, our police officers were placed at significant risk, being in a gunfight armed with 9mm Glocks against long-arms,” Hudson said.
A plan to establish an armed response command – of 210 officers carrying long-arm weapons – has been “escalated”, but will still take at least another 12 months to be fully staffed, he told the commission.
The Police Association of NSW – the officers’ union – made representations to the police force and government about arming officers with long-arms more consistently after the Bondi terror attack.
“The availability of long-arms on a more frequent basis is certainly a response to that and also better protection of the community,” Hudson said.
The commission was established by the federal government following the Bondi terrorist attack. It previously heard that on the evening of 14 December 2025, two gunmen opened fire from a footbridge above Archer Park at Bondi beach, using a bolt-action high-powered rifle and shotguns to shoot at members of the Jewish community celebrating Hanukah.
The pair killed fifteen people. Sajid Akram was shot dead by police; his son, Naveed Akram, was shot and wounded and is in custody facing charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act that investigators allege may have been “inspired by” Islamic State.
The commission heard this week that within 30 seconds of opening fire at the Hanukah event, the gunmen had shot 11 people using long-arm, fatally wounding 10 of them.
The pair was subdued after seven minutes and 41 seconds. Detective senior constable Cesar Barraza is believed to have fired the shots – from his 9mm Glock pistol – which killed Sajid, 50, and disarmed Naveed, 24.
Two police officers, constable Scott Dyson and probationary constable Jack Hibbert, were seriously injured in the attack.
After the Bondi tragedy, NSW police announced the establishment of the armed response command, describing it as an intelligence-led unit that will patrol high-risk areas, places of worship, major events, and mass gatherings such as protests and sporting events.
“The unit will be made up of 250 officers, and it’s a 24/7 specialised police operation,” the police and counter-terrorism minister, Yasmin Catley, said in February.