New South Wales police in Australia revealed that homicide detectives have charged a 35-year-old man, who worked as a photographer at a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach, after he was accused of stealing camera equipment belonging to one of the victims who died in the shooting on 14 Dec 2025, and pawning it just days after the incident.
The shooting occurred on 14 December 2025 after authorities received reports of a shooting in a public area near Bondi Beach, close to Sydney. Two gunmen used rifles to fire into crowds attending the Hanukkah celebration, resulting in 15 fatalities aged between 10 and 87. Among the victims was Peter Meagher, a 61-year-old former police officer who was working as a photographer at the event.
Police stated that during further investigation, officers discovered that the deceased's camera equipment had been stolen after the incident and were later able to track down a suspect.
On 20 May, police raided a residence in the suburb of Merrylands, west of Sydney, seizing cameras, handcuffs, and multiple electronic devices, as well as a small amount of a suspicious white crystalline substance found in the suspect's vehicle.
The 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with several offenses, including theft exceeding 2,000 Australian dollars, possession of stolen property, possession of prohibited weapons without a permit, and possession of illicit drugs.
Police allege that the suspect, who was working as a photographer at the same event, stole Meagher's camera equipment before pawning it a few days later. The court granted bail under strict conditions, with a return date set for June.
Earlier, Meagher's wife posted on social media urging anyone who found her husband's camera to return it, stating, "It is now clear that someone took his camera from the scene."
Meanwhile, there is a development on another front of the case, as the two elder brothers of Ahmed Al Ahmed, the Syrian-Australian shop owner hailed as a hero for helping stop the gunmen, have been charged with intimidation and attempted extortion against him.
Ahmed was wounded by multiple gunshot wounds while confronting the shooter, earning nationwide praise and prompting donations exceeding 2.5 million Australian dollars in support.
Court documents state that the two brothers demanded 100,000 Australian dollars each and threatened physical harm if payment was not made. Both deny the allegations, and the court has issued a temporary protection order barring them from approaching Ahmed during the legal process.