The Telangana police have confirmed that Sajid Akram, 50, who is among the suspects in the deadly mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach that killed at least 15 people, is from Hyderabad, news agency PTI reported. Akram migrated to Australia in 1998 and had “limited contact” with his family in the southern city, said police on Tuesday.
Fifteen people were killed and another 42 injured when Akram and his son, Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire on a Jewish gathering in Australia on Sunday. His son is hospitalised under the supervision of police officials, while Sajid Akram was killed in an exchange of fire with police.
Dana Sandoval, a spokesperson for the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration, told Hindustan Times that “Sajid Akram, 50, Indian national (Australian resident), and Naveed Akram, 24, Australian national, arrived in the Philippines together on 1 November 2025 from Sydney, Australia.”
She added, “Both reported Davao as their final destination. They left the country on 28 November 2025 on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the shooting as a “targeted attack” on Jewish Australians and has vowed to fight antisemitism in the community.
Inspired by Islamic State group
Australian authorities on Tuesday said the deadly Bondi Beach shooting was inspired by Islamic State ideology, citing evidence recovered during the investigation, news agency AP reported.
At a joint news conference, political and law enforcement leaders confirmed their assessment of the suspects’ ideological motivations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said investigators had found “the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized”, adding that the conclusion was based on verified evidence.
A total of 25 people remain hospitalised, including 10 in critical condition. Three of the injured are being treated at a children’s hospital, authorities said.
Among those injured is Ahmed al Ahmed, who was captured on video tackling and disarming one of the assailants. Footage shows him pointing the attacker’s weapon away before placing it on the ground, an act that has since drawn widespread praise. Police investigations into the attack are ongoing.
Who is Sajid Akram?
According to Australian authorities, Sajid was a resident of suburban Sydney, the legal owner of six firearms, and a member of a recreational gun club.
He migrated to Australia on a student visa in 1998, which was converted to a partner visa in 2001. Sajid has held a resident return visa since then, while Naveed Akram, born in 2001, is an Australian citizen, police said.
Authorities have raided a property in Campsie, believed to have been a short-term rental used by the father and son. Their residence in Bonnyrigg was also searched, resulting in two arrests and the seizure of six firearms.
