Australian federal prosecutors filed new charges on June 10 at the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney against Narveed Akram, the suspect in the deadly Bondi Beach shooting late last year. The updated indictment includes 19 additional counts, bringing the total to 78.
The shooting unfolded on the evening of December 14, 2025, leaving 16 people dead and 40 others injured. The new charges include 10 counts of “shooting with intent to murder,” 6 counts of “shooting with intent to resist arrest,” and 3 counts of “shooting with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.”
His defense lawyer, Leoni Gittani, said Akram knew more charges could be coming and has not yet entered a plea. The investigation remains active.
As of this writing, Akram has been slapped with a staggering 78 criminal counts. The previous phase involved 59 charges, including one count of committing a terrorist act, 15 counts of murder, and 40 counts of attempted murder causing injury or serious harm.
The incident also involved a father-son duo. The father, 50, who held a 10-year gun license, died in a shootout with police. His son, Akram, 24, was critically injured but survived after emergency treatment.
Investigators from the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team said both suspects had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State terror group. Police found an ISIS flag inside the shooter’s car. Australia’s security intelligence organization had been monitoring Akram for six years, noting his close ties to ISIS operatives in Sydney.
Police also discovered two improvised explosive devices at the father-son home. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labeled the event a terrorist attack during a press conference.
Akram’s family hails from Pakistan. He has a 22-year-old sister and a 20-year-old brother, all living together in the Bonnyrigg area of southwestern Sydney. His father ran a fruit and vegetable shop and owned six firearms. His mother also cared for her elderly mother.
Akram worked as a bricklayer before losing his job two months before the attack due to his company’s bankruptcy. He had been job-hunting ever since. His mother, Verena, described him as a quiet person who struggled socially, but enjoyed outdoor hobbies like fishing, diving, and swimming.
The attack occurred during Australia’s summer. Bondi Beach is one of the country’s most iconic tourist destinations. Sydney is home to about 117,000 Jewish residents, with numerous synagogues and cultural facilities.
Since the renewal of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023—and especially after Israeli PM Netanyahu’s plan to “take over Gaza”—anti-Semitic sentiments have risen in Western societies. At the time, the beach was hosting a Hanukkah celebration with hundreds to thousands of people present.
Israeli officials condemned the attack, saying it targeted the Jewish community and was the result of Australia’s inaction against rising street anti-Semitism in recent years. Major cities like Sydney and Melbourne have seen multiple anti-Semitic incidents, including arson at synagogues and graffiti of Nazi symbols on buildings and cars.
Israel’s National Security Council warned that similar events could spark copycat attacks, advising citizens abroad to avoid large public events without adequate security and to stay vigilant around Israeli and Jewish sites.
In August last year, tensions between Australia and Israel were already high. Albanese announced Australia would formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly, prompting Netanyahu to call him a “weak politician betraying Israel and the Jewish people.” In retaliation, Israel revoked the visa of Australia’s diplomat to the Palestinian Authority.
