Sydney Beach attacker charged with 59 counts as funerals commence

WEB DESK: As mourners gathered for the first funerals of those killed in Sunday’s attack, authorities formally charged a 24-year-old man with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and a terrorism offence. The charges stem from a shooting that shattered a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and wounding dozens.

New South Wales Police confirmed that Naveed Akram, who remains under heavy guard in a Sydney hospital after being shot by police, is the individual facing the extensive list of charges. The charges also include 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder. Police allege the attack was intended “to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,” with early indications pointing to inspiration from the Islamic State group.

The attack was carried out by Naveed and his 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, who was killed by police at the scene. The incident has ignited a national reckoning on gun laws, community safety, and rising antisemitism.

A Community in Mourning

The first funeral was held Wednesday for Rabbi Eli Schlanger, an assistant rabbi at the Chabad Bondi Synagogue and a father of five known for his outreach work in prisons and public housing. The service was attended by political figures, including National Party leader David Littleproud, as the community began the painful process of laying its loved ones to rest.

Other victims included a Holocaust survivor, a husband and wife, and a 10-year-old girl named Matilda, whose father, a Ukrainian immigrant, pleaded at a vigil, “Remember the name, remember her.”

Pressure Mounts for Gun Law Reform

The tragedy has placed immense pressure on officials to explain how the attackers legally acquired high-powered firearms. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns announced that the state parliament would reconvene on December 22 to pass “urgent” reforms. Proposed measures include capping the number of firearms a single person can own and restricting access to certain types of shotguns.

“We’ve got a monumental task in front of us,” Minns stated, calling for a “summer of calm and togetherness, not division.” The government also plans to review laws around large protests following terrorist events to prevent further community tensions.

Questions Over Security and Antisemitism

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government faces scrutiny over its handling of rising antisemitism during the Israel-Gaza war and the efficacy of intelligence monitoring. It was revealed that Naveed Akram had been briefly investigated in 2019 for alleged Islamic State links but was not deemed an active threat.

“We will work with the Jewish community, we want to stamp out and eradicate antisemitism from our society,” Albanese said.

Amid the grief, stories of heroism emerged. Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, who tackled one of the gunmen and was shot in the process, was scheduled for surgery Wednesday. His family in Syria called him a hero. Additionally, 22-year-old police officer Jack Hibbert, shot twice during the response, faces a “long and challenging recovery” after losing vision in one eye.

As police tape was removed from the beachfront scene Wednesday, swimmers held a moment of silence, reflecting a community grappling with profound loss while seeking a path toward healing.