Tragically, Naveed Akram, a 24-year-old Australian-born citizen with a history of mental illness, was gunned down by police in that incident. This sudden and shocking turn of events has understandably raised serious concerns about security and frankly, the use of firearms throughout the country. Sajid Akram has been living in Australia since 1998. Now, his legal firearms and previous connections have put him at the center of the case. These complications surrounding the Akram family have unfortunately attracted national attention, impacting the law enforcement and community members involved.
Naveed Akram’s father came to Australia on a student visa over two decades ago. After changing his status to a partner visa in 2001, Sajid Akram has lived on resident return visas ever since. In the following years, he acquired a gun license, renewing the license for ten years. In the ultimate irony—in that three-month span—he registered six guns. All of these weapons were later recovered by police after his son, Naveed himself, used them in the attack.
Here’s how the tragic events leading to Naveed’s death began to play out beginning in October 2019. That’s when he allegedly started being targeted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). His paid relationships with people of interest led to a 6-month investigation by national security agencies and New South Wales police. Despite being well-known to authorities, Naveed had just recently been working as a bricklayer. One of his colleagues used to call him “a strange gremlin.”
“You spend a lot of time together, obviously bricklaying – [which is a] pretty mind-numbing job, so you do a lot of talking, but he was just a weird operator.” – Former colleague
Investigating the burgeoning threat from Naveed, it seemed at the time that they were still working the case when tragedy interrupted. Witnesses described the scene that day as having an overwhelming police presence when the incident happened. One local resident, Glenn Nelson, recounted his experience during the event, noting that he had entered his lounge room to watch something else when he observed flashing lights and an influx of police vehicles.
“I came into the lounge room to watch something else, and then saw traffic … and flashing lights,” – Glenn Nelson
Although information about the incident is still limited, what we do know is that Naveed Akram had a passion for hunting. This facet of his life raises a lot of questions. It not only lightens the egregious possible use of a firearm would-be ownership associated with his connections to protection firms. Perhaps more importantly, Sajid Akram’s decades-long gun license will be subject to heightened scrutiny as investigations proceed.
The community of Bonnyrigg has united in showing sadness over the girl’s death. In the wake of Naveed Akram’s and his family’s fate, residents have expressed their shock and sadness. As one neighbor put it, biblically, “We are so sorry for the things that have happened.”
A third local resident provided context into how outsiders at the time viewed life in Bonnyrigg, calling it “boring, rundown Bonnyrigg.” This positive reflection on the neighborhood makes for a stark juxtaposition with the recent and very violent incident that has occurred on their streets.
At the same time, educators who encountered Naveed during his developmental years have contributed their own input on his character as well. Adam Ismail got him started on Qur’an recitation and Arabic. He was quick to clarify, though, that their connection never crossed that line and was strictly an educator connection and an educational connection.
“As I’ve done with 1,000s of students over the years, I’ve taught him Qur’an recitation and Arabic only for a combined period of one year. These were the only subjects I taught him, and they are the areas I specialise in,” – Adam Ismail
As the impact of Naveed Akram’s death still echoes both within his immediate family and within the much larger community that Naveed’s death has affected. Finally, law enforcement agencies must do a full background check investigation into Naveed’s associations and his father’s licensed firearms. As this shooting incident continues to unfold, millions are asking how we can prevent such tragedies in the future.