Bondi Beach Massacre: 15 Jews Killed, 59 Charges Filed Against Naveed Akram

On Sunday, a pair of gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 Jewish attendees and leaving more than 20 others wounded. The tragedy has sparked a nationwide reckoning over antisemitism, gun control and police protection.

Legal Fallout

Three days after the shooting, police charged 24‑year‑old Naveed Akram with 59 offences. The charges include:

• 15 counts of murder, one for each fatality
• 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder for the wounded
• One count of committing a terrorist act
• One count of placing an explosive near a building with intent to cause harm

Akram was arrested after waking from a coma in a Sydney hospital where he had been treated following police shots to him and his father. His 50‑year‑old father, Sajid Akram, died at the scene.

The Attack

The gunmen targeted Jews celebrating Hanukkah in a beachfront event that had run for 31 years. All 15 victims were Jewish, ranging in age from a 10‑year‑old girl to an 87‑year‑old Holocaust survivor. More than 20 people were still receiving treatment in hospitals.

Police recovered a car at the crime scene that contained improvised explosive devices. The Akrams’ vehicle also held the explosives that the gunmen allegedly intended to use.

Funerals and Community Grief

Hundreds of mourners gathered at Bondi Beach as funerals began. The first to be buried was Eli Schlanger, 41, assistant rabbi at Chabad‑Lubavitch of Bondi and organizer of the Chanukah by the Sea event. Schlanger also served as a prison chaplain and hospital chaplain.

His father‑in‑law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, said, “After what happened, my biggest regret was — apart from, obviously, the obvious – I could have done more to tell Eli more often how much we love him, how much I love him, how much we appreciate everything that he does and how proud we are of him.” He added, “I hope he knew that. I’m sure he knew it. But I think it should’ve been said more often.”

Dmitry Chlafma, a long‑time rabbi of Schlanger, remarked after the service, “You can tell by the amount of people that are here how much he meant to the community. He was warm, happy, generous, one of a kind.”

Other victims included Boris and Sofia Gurman, a husband and wife in their 60s who were shot while trying to disarm one of the gunmen. Reuven Morrison, a Jewish man in his 60s, was killed while attempting to throw bricks at the other shooter.

The youngest victim was Matilda, 10. Her mother, who identified herself only as Valentyna, said, “It stays here,” pressing her hand over her heart. “It just stays here and here.”

Police Investigation and Possible IS Link

Australia’s federal police commissioner, Krissy Barrett, stated that the shooting was “a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.” Authorities noted that Naveed Akram had attracted the attention of security services in 2019, though details of earlier investigations remain sparse.

Investigators are examining a trip the suspects made to the Philippines in November. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration confirmed that the two men travelled from Nov. 1 to Nov. 28, ending in Davao. While Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim separatist group in the south, has previously expressed support for IS, Philippine officials say there is no recent evidence of foreign militants in the area.

The younger suspect is Australian‑born. The older suspect, originally from Hyderabad, migrated to Australia in 1998 and held an Indian passport.

Government Response and Gun Reform

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to take “whatever government action was needed to stamp out antisemitism.” He announced plans to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws, including restricting gun ownership to Australian citizens and limiting the number of weapons a person can hold.

Albanese noted that the older suspect had legally amassed six weapons. The proposed reforms represent the most sweeping changes since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Community Solidarity

In the days following the attack, Australians gathered in practical acts of grief. Lines formed at blood donation sites, and on the morning of Wednesday, hundreds of swimmers circled the sand in a minute’s silence before running into the sea.

The Hanukkah celebration, which had been held annually for 31 years, is set to return. Rabbi Ulman said the event would defy the attackers’ intent to make Jews feel unsafe: “Eli lived and breathed this idea that we can never ever allow them not only to succeed, but anytime that they try something we become greater and stronger,” he added. “We’re going to show the world that the Jewish people are unbeatable.”

Key Takeaways

• Naveed Akram faces 59 charges, including 15 murders and a terrorist act.
• The attack targeted a Hanukkah event, killing 15 Jewish people and wounding over 20.
• Police link the shooting to an Islamic State inspiration and investigate the suspects’ 2019 security alert.

The Bondi Beach massacre has left Australia confronting the realities of hate‑fueled violence and prompting a national debate over gun control, antisemitism and community safety.