Man wrongly recognized as Bondi Beach shooter points message to Australia after being bombarded with abusive messages and left fearing for his life
A Sydney man said his life was put at risk after he was wrongly identified on social media as being involved in the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, 50, allegedly opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah event shortly before 7 pm on Sunday, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens.
Akram was apprehended at the scene of the shooting and taken to hospital under police guard in critical but stable condition. His father died at the scene.
When police publicly named the suspects, an unrelated Sydney man, also named Naveed Akram, was horrified to learn his Facebook images were circulating online.
The 30-year-old rental company owner told the Daily Mail he was first alerted to the reports by a friend, who said he was being falsely accused of being the 24-year-old alleged shooter.
‘When I got this news that my picture is being used for that shooter, I was in shock, I couldn’t go outside, I was feeling so unsafe,’ he said.
‘It’s a life-threatening situation for me… I can’t explain in words what I felt at that time. I was shaking.’
Mr Akram said he decided to report the situation to police after he began receiving abusive messages on social media.
Pictured is an image of the innocent Naveed Akram, who shares a name with one of the alleged Bondi Beach gunman, that has been shared online wrongly linking him to the mass shooting
Mr Akram said his ‘safety, well being and reputation’ had been put at risk by the false reports. Pictured is one post wrongly accusing him of being a ‘Pakistani terrorist’
Mr Akram shares a name with alleged Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram (pictured)
‘I told police this thing is happening and people are using my pictures and it is putting my life in danger,’ he said.
‘Police said you just have to stay home and just deactivate your social media accounts and it will settle very soon.
‘So there was not much help from the police, I was surprised at that point.’
Left to his own devices, Mr Akram recorded a video and shared it to social media in an attempt to clear his name.
‘As everyone knows as per the media reports one of the shooters was named Naveed Akram and my name is Naveed Akram as well,’ he said in the video.
‘Some of the social media accounts, they have taken my pictures from my Facebook account and they are linking that picture to that shooter.
‘I’m going to clearly tell everyone that that is not me and I have nothing to do with that incident or with that person.’
Moving forward, Mr Akram said he wants people to be careful with what they choose to believe based on social media reports.
‘Don’t believe the social media accounts, they are not true,’ he said.
‘Just do your research before reposting things. It can ruin someone’s life and these are the things that can put someone’s life in danger.’
