A Pakistani-origin man in Sydney received death threats after being wrongly identified as a Bondi Beach shooter. His photo spread widely on social media, causing fear for his life. Authorities confirmed he is not involved. The attack at a Hanukkah gathering killed 15 people, marking Australia’s deadliest attack since 1996.
Social media users shared his image wearing a green Pakistani cricket jersey. Thousands of posts linked him to the attack and included threatening and abusive comments. The man panicked and clarified that the photo belonged to him but he has no connection to the attackers.
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The Pakistani Consulate in Sydney released a video asking people to stop sharing false claims. In the video, he explained that the misinformation endangered him and his family. He appealed for calm while Australian police continue investigating the Bondi Beach shooting.
He said he cannot leave his house due to ongoing threats and deleted abusive messages. His family is also stressed and receiving calls from concerned relatives. The situation has severely affected his daily life and peace of mind.
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The man moved to Australia in 2018 and now runs a car rental business. He praised Australia as a safe and welcoming country despite this traumatic incident. He condemned the attack and said misinformation caused unnecessary fear, harming both his reputation and family.