Australian authorities have lodged 19 additional criminal charges against the man accused of the December mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration near Bondi Beach in Sydney, according to court filings and media reports.
Police say the attack, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people, was inspired by Islamic State. In the days following the incident, the accused, Naveed Akram, was initially charged with 59 offences. Those earlier charges included 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder, and a terror-related offence.
Local media reported in court on Wednesday that Akram's lawyer, Leonie Gittani, informed the court that 19 further charges had been filed. Court records specify that the newly filed counts comprise 10 counts of shooting with intent to murder, six counts of discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest, and three counts of causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.
Akram, 24, has not yet entered a plea in relation to the expanded set of charges. Authorities have said his father, Sajid Akram, 50, who was also accused of participating in the shooting, was shot dead by police at the scene.
The attack shocked a country known for stringent gun control laws and has prompted renewed public debate about firearm regulations and the need for decisive measures to address antisemitism. The federal government has launched a government-backed inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion, and officials expect the findings to be delivered by December.
The case remains active and evolving in the courts. Legal proceedings, the pending plea, and the government inquiry are all outstanding elements tied to the broader public response to the incident. Authorities continue to process charges and pursue the prosecutorial timeline established under Australian law.
Summary
The accused in the Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting has been hit with 19 more charges on top of 59 previously filed counts, including multiple new counts alleging attempted murder and use of a firearm to resist arrest. The accused has not entered a plea and a government inquiry into antisemitism is due to report by December.