Vanessa Miller, a survivor of the Hanukkah gathering shooting at Bondi Beach, accused nearby police officers of "hiding" during the attack that authorities say left 15 dead and many injured. On The Erin Molan Show she described frantic moments searching for her three-year-old, who was saved by a pregnant bystander, and said she even tried to take an officer’s gun. Her husband, Wayne Miller, demanded stronger action against antisemitism and called for government accountability. The interview underscores survivors’ anger and renewed calls for an investigation into the police response.
Bondi Beach Hanukkah Survivor Blasts Police as ‘Weak’ After Deadly Attack
Vanessa Miller, a survivor of the deadly attack on a Hanukkah gathering at Bondi Beach, Australia, publicly condemned police officers at the scene for what she described as “hiding” while two gunmen allegedly killed 15 people and wounded dozens more. Miller made the comments during an emotional interview on The Erin Molan Show.
Recalling the chaos, Miller said there were only a few officers nearby. “There were two policemen. One was hiding behind a car. One was shot in the head, he was just bleeding from his face. Another one not injured. And I’m just screaming, ‘Where’s my baby? GiGi! Gigi! Gigi!’” she told the program, describing how people urged silence for fear the attackers would return.
“Everyone’s saying, ‘Be quiet. They’re going to come to us. They’re going to shoot us. They’re going to shoot us.’ I’m just screaming, ‘I don’t care! Where is my baby? Where’s my baby?’ I’m trying to go,” Miller recalled.
Miller said she saw officers sheltered behind a vehicle and attempted to take a firearm from one of them to stop the attackers. “I tried to grab one of their guns. The other one grabbed me and says, ‘No!’ I’m trying to grab for his gun. These men, these police officers, they know who I am,” she said. Directing her remarks to the officers, she added: “You are weak! You could have saved so many more people’s lives.”
She also shared a harrowing moment searching for her three-year-old daughter, who was later rescued by a pregnant bystander. “My little three-year-old was saved by a pregnant woman who saw her crying and screaming, ‘Mommy! Daddy!’ running around while everyone was on the floor. She’s lucky to be alive,” Miller said.
Calls For Accountability And Action
Vanessa’s husband, Wayne Miller, used the interview to call for a stronger response to antisemitism and for government accountability. “We’ve got to fight this anti-Semitism, and we need to fight it full-on,” he said. Vanessa added, “They’ve got blood on their hands and they know it. They will deny, deny, deny, but they know it.”
The couple’s account reflects their anger and grief in the wake of an attack authorities say was carried out by two gunmen. Their remarks raise questions about the police response on the scene and have intensified calls for investigations and clearer protective measures for at-risk communities.
Note: Authorities are investigating the incident; casualty figures and details are based on statements by officials and the survivors’ accounts shared in media interviews.
