SYDNEY — At least 11 people were killed and 29 others wounded on Sunday after two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish community event held at Bondi Beach, in what Australian authorities have declared a terrorist attack.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said one of the attackers was shot dead by police at the scene, while the second suspect was arrested and is in critical condition. Two police officers were among the injured, he added.

“This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said, confirming that the incident was classified as terrorism based on the nature of the event and the weapons used.

The shooting occurred during “Chanukah by the Sea,” an event attended by hundreds of people marking the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Emergency services were called to Campbell Parade near Bondi Beach at around 6:45 p.m. local time following reports of gunfire.

Police said a large-scale security operation was ongoing, with specialist officers examining several suspicious items found nearby, including an improvised explosive device discovered in one of the suspects’ vehicles.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as people fled the beachfront area.

Footage aired on Australian television appeared to show a bystander tackling and disarming one of the attackers before police intervened.

Lachlan Moran, 32, who was nearby at the time, told the Associated Press he heard multiple shots and ran immediately.

“Everyone just dropped all their possessions and ran. People were crying — it was horrible,” he said.

Hospitals across Sydney were placed on emergency footing as injured victims continued to arrive.

Authorities warned the death toll could rise as several people remain in critical condition.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the attack was “shocking and distressing,” adding that police and emergency responders were working to secure the area and support victims. “My thoughts are with all those affected,” he said in a statement.

Mass-casualty shootings are rare in Australia following sweeping gun law reforms introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Officials noted that the Bondi Beach attack represents one of the deadliest mass shootings in the country in decades. — Agencies