A man accused of killing 15 people in an anti-Semitic mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach is now facing a new set of charges, according to court records released.
Naveed Akram allegedly opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration at the crowded beach in December. The 24-year-old had already been charged with numerous serious offenses, including 15 counts of murder and terrorism-related crimes.
The latest court documents reveal 19 additional charges against him, including several counts of shooting with intent to murder, wounding with intent to murder, and using a firearm to resist arrest.
Akram, currently held in a high-security prison, has not yet entered a plea.
His father, Sajid, 50, who is believed to have been involved in the attack, was shot dead by police during the incident.
The new charges come as a wide-ranging inquiry into Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in three decades begins public hearings.
“The sharp spike of anti-Semitism that we have witnessed in Australia has been mirrored in other Western countries and seems clearly linked to events in the Middle East,” inquiry chief Virginia Bell said in opening remarks earlier this week.
“It’s important that people understand how quickly those events can prompt ugly displays of hostility towards Jewish Australians simply because they are Jews.”
The tragedy has triggered nationwide reflection on anti-Semitism and drawn criticism over the failure to adequately protect Jewish communities.
In response, Australia proposed new gun control measures, including a nationwide buyback program, although progress has slowed due to lack of agreement among states and territories.
Authorities had previously identified Akram as a person of concern in 2019, but later assessed that he did not pose an immediate threat.
Police reports released after the attack state that Akram and his father conducted firearms training in rural New South Wales ahead of the incident. Investigators said the assault was “meticulously planned” over several months, supported by images showing them practicing with weapons and moving in what was described as a “tactical manner.”
According to police, the two also recorded a video in October in which they spoke against “Zionists” while seated in front of an Islamic State flag, outlining their motives for the attack.
