On December 14, 2025, Bondi Beach — Australia’s most iconic beach — became the site of a deadly terrorist attack during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration. I was off-duty when my photo editor called, and I drove down immediately. As I stepped out of my car, later absorbed into a sprawling crime scene, the air was thick with gunpowder. I navigated police cordons, observing reactions and documenting the immediate aftermath. In the days that followed, the community gathered to mourn. I documented grief, solidarity, and the human response as both a photojournalist and a local who calls Bondi home.
