Naveed Akram survived the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney on Sunday and now faces 59 charges. These include 15 counts of murder and a terrorist act, according to New South Wales police. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in a shootout with police at the scene.
The attack was aimed at Australia’s Jewish community during a Hanukkah event, leaving fifteen people dead and many others injured. It is the country’s worst mass shooting since 1996. Akram also faces 40 charges of causing serious harm with intent to kill, as well as a charge for publicly displaying a symbol from a banned terrorist group.
He remains in the hospital with serious injuries and attended his first court hearing from his hospital bed, according to a New South Wales court. The case is paused until April 2026 because police are waiting for his medication to wear off before questioning him. Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said investigators want to make sure Akram fully understands what is happening before they begin questioning him.
Seventeen people remain in Sydney hospitals. One is in critical condition, and four others are in critical but stable condition. Officials have called the attack a terrorist incident. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the shooting appears to have been inspired by Islamic State ideology.
Akram and his father traveled to the Philippines from November 1 to 28. Philippine immigration officials said they visited Davao, a city in the south. Naveed Akram used an Australian passport, while his father used an Indian passport. Id Akram was from Hyderabad in southern India but didn’t keep in contact with family there, according to local police.
The victims included two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor, and Matilda, a 10-year-old girl. Boris and Sofia Gurman, who were seen on video fighting one of the attackers, also died. Another 27 people were hospitalized, including two police officers.
One of the injured police officers, 22-year-old Jack Hibbert, lost sight in one eye and faces a long recovery, according to his family.
On Wednesday, thousands gathered to mourn Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was born in Britain, at the first funeral for the shooting victims. Prime Minister Albanese did not attend, saying he would go to any funeral he was invited to. Albanese rejected claims that his government has not done enough to address antisemitism. He pointed to new measures, including Australia’s first antisemitism envoy, stronger hate speech laws, and increased funding for Jewish community security.At the service, Rabbi Levi Wolff described Schlanger’s death as an “unspeakable loss” and praised his dedication to the community. Schlanger was one of the organizers of Sunday’s Hanukkah event.h event.
Funerals for the other victims will continue over the next few days, including Matilda’s service on Thursday.
