A Sydney man has said he is living in fear after receiving death threats and being wrongly identified online as one of the gunmen behind the Bondi Beach terror attack, highlighting how misinformation spread rapidly in the aftermath of Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in three decades.
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The man, also named Naveed Akram, said he was “terrified” to leave his home on Monday after his photograph was widely circulated on social media as the attacker responsible for Sunday’s shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.
“I could not even sleep last night,” he told news agency AFP. “I’m terrified. I could not go outside – it’s a life-threatening issue. My family is worried as well, so it’s quite a hard time for me.”
Terror attack at Bondi Beach
The Bondi Beach attack unfolded on Sunday afternoon when a father and son opened fire at the Chanukah by the Sea event at Archer Park, where more than 1,000 people had gathered to mark the first night of the Jewish festival.
Police say the gunmen fired dozens of rounds from a pedestrian footbridge overlooking the park before being confronted by officers and members of the public.
One attacker was shot dead at the scene, while the second was critically wounded and remains in hospital under police guard.
Authorities have described the incident as an act of terrorism targeting Sydney’s Jewish community.
At least 15 victims were killed, including a 10-year-old child, while more than 40 others were injured. Including the deceased attacker, the overall death toll stands at 16.
Two improvised explosive devices were later found at the scene and rendered safe by bomb disposal specialists, police said.
Mistaken identity spreads online
Officials have identified the attacker as Pakistan nationals – Sajid Akram and his son Naveed. Officials are also probing their possible links to the Islamic State group.
Soon after the attack, images of a smiling man wearing a green Pakistan cricket jersey began circulating widely on social media platforms, accompanied by accusations that he was the Bondi Beach shooter.
Some of the posts were shared thousands of times and drew abusive and threatening comments.
However, the photograph belonged to a different Naveed Akram – a 30-year-old Sydney resident with no connection to the attack.
In a video released by the Pakistan Consulate in Sydney, the man appealed for the misinformation to stop.
“Per media reports, one of the shooters’ name is Naveed Akram and my name is Naveed Akram as well,” he said. “That is not me. I have nothing to do with the incident or that person.”
He condemned the shooting as “terrible” and urged social media users to report accounts misusing his image, which he said was taken from a Facebook post he shared in 2019.
‘It was destroying my family’s image’
Speaking to AFP, the man said he first learned around 9.30 pm on Sunday that he had been falsely identified as the gunman.
“I deleted all the terrible messages I got,” he said, adding that relatives in Pakistan’s Punjab province had also begun receiving calls about the allegations.
“It was destroying my image, my family’s image,” he said. “People started to call them. They were worried, and they have told the police over there.”
The Pakistan-born Australian said he moved to Australia in 2018 to study at Central Queensland University before completing a master’s degree at Sydney’s Holmes Institute. He now runs a car rental business and described Australia as “the perfect country”.
“I love this country. I have never had any safety issues here. Everyone is so nice,” he said. “It’s only this incident that has caused me this trauma.”
Police warning against speculation
Authorities have urged the public not to speculate or share unverified information while investigations continue. Police have confirmed that only two attackers were involved in the Bondi Beach shooting and have ruled out the presence of a third suspect.