Naveed Akram is the only suspect left after the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday. He faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act, according to New South Wales police.
Akram, 24, was seriously injured during the incident. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in a gunfight with police. The attack killed 15 people and injured many more. It targeted Australia’s Jewish community during a celebration for the first night of Hanukkah. This shooting is the deadliest in Australia since 1996.
In addition to the murder charges, Akram also faces 40 charges for causing severe harm with the intent to kill and one charge for displaying a symbol of a banned terrorist organization.
Akram went to his first court hearing from his hospital bed. The court has postponed the case until April 2026. On Wednesday, Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said they are waiting for Akram to recover from his medication before questioning him. He stated, “To be fair, we need him to understand what is happening.”
As of Wednesday evening, 17 people are still receiving treatment in Sydney hospitals. One person is in critical condition, and four others are critically injured but stable. Police have labeled the attack as a terrorist incident. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it seems to be motivated by ideas linked to the Islamic State group.
Naveed Used Australian Passport to Enter the Philippines
8On Tuesday, reports confirmed that a father and son traveled to the Philippines in November. The Philippine Immigration Bureau told the BBC that they were in the country from November 1 to November 28, visiting the southern city of Davao.
Naveed Akram entered using an Australian passport, while his father, Sajid, used an Indian passport. Sajid Akram is from Hyderabad in southern India but had little contact with his family there, according to a police official from Telangana.
The attack led to several deaths, including two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl named Matilda. Boris and Sofia Gurman, a couple who had confronted one of the gunmen during the attack, also lost their lives. In total, 27 people went to the hospital for injuries, including two police officers. One officer, 22-year-old Jack Hibbert, lost vision in one eye and faces a long recovery, according to his family.
Earlier that day, thousands attended the funeral for Rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of the first victims. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not go to the funeral. When asked about his absence on ABC NewsRadio, he said, “I would attend anything that I’m invited to. These are funerals taking place to farewell people’s loved ones.”
The Jewish community criticized Albanese for not doing enough to fight antisemitism. In response, he told ABC NewsRadio he has appointed the country’s first antisemitism envoy, strengthened hate speech laws, and increased funding for community projects and Jewish institutions.
At Rabbi Schlanger’s funeral, Rabbi Levi Wolff called his death an “unspeakable loss” for the community. “Eli was taken from us while doing what he loved,” he said. “He spread love and joy while caring for his people. His self-sacrifice made him one of the highest and holiest souls.” Rabbi Schlanger helped organize the Hanukkah event on Sunday.
Funerals for the other victims will take place over the next few days, including for Matilda, the youngest victim, on Thursday.
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