A survivor of Sunday’s deadly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach has come forward with disturbing allegations about law enforcement’s response during the massacre that claimed 15 lives.
Vanessa Miller, who was celebrating Hanukkah when two gunmen opened fire on the gathering, says police officers physically prevented her from taking action against the attackers.
Miller made the explosive claims during an appearance on the “Erin Molan Show” on Monday.
The attack unfolded Sunday at Bondi Beach in Australia, where families had gathered for a Hanukkah celebration.
Two men of Pakistani descent, identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire on the crowd.
Authorities report 15 people were killed and 40 wounded in the assault.
One attacker was killed at the scene by police, while the other sustained injuries and was taken into custody.
The violence sent shockwaves through the community and sparked immediate calls for action from government officials.
Miller recounted being separated from her three-year-old daughter during the chaos.
In her account of the events, she described attempting to take defensive action against the assailants.
“I tried to grab one of their guns,” Miller stated during the interview.
“Another one grabbed me and said ‘no.’”
Miller directed pointed criticism at the officers present during the attack.
“These men, these police officers, they know who I am. I hope they are hearing this. You are weak,” she said.
“You could have saved so many more people’s lives. They were just standing there, listening and watching this all happen, holding me back.”
She questioned the overall police presence at the scene.
“Two police officers,” Miller continued. “Where were the others? Not there. Nobody was there.”
WATCH:
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the attack by announcing plans for additional gun control measures. These new restrictions would significantly expand government oversight of firearms ownership, according to the Associated Press.
The proposed measures include imposing limits on the number of firearms an individual can own.
Additionally, gun licenses would face increased scrutiny and review processes.
Under the planned restrictions, firearm licenses would be limited exclusively to Australian citizens.
The government also intends to expand the use of criminal intelligence gathering when determining whether to approve license applications.
Investigators uncovered disturbing details about the attackers’ preparation.
Both Sajid and Naveed Akram traveled to the Philippines prior to the attack, where they allegedly received training, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
CNN reported that authorities found homemade ISIS flags inside Naveed Akram’s vehicle, suggesting potential ideological motivations behind the assault.
The attack raises questions about the effectiveness of Australia’s existing gun control framework. Following a 1996 mass shooting in Port Arthur, Tasmania, that resulted in 35 deaths and 23 injuries, Australia implemented sweeping firearms legislation.
That legislation mandated a “buyback” program requiring owners to surrender semi-automatic firearms and certain pump-action firearms, the Daily Caller reported back in 2014.
The laws were considered among the strictest gun control measures in the world. However, reports indicate that one of the Bondi Beach attackers appeared to use a pump-action shotgun equipped with an extended magazine during Sunday’s assault.
