Bondi Beach mass shooting GoFundMe campaigns raise almost $2 million

GoFundMe has launched a centralised hub of verified fundraisers for victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, Australia’s deadliest such attack in 30 years. Sixteen people were killed in the shooting, including one of the two gunmen, while over 40 more were injured.

On Sunday afternoon, two gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration by Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Mass shootings are exceedingly rare in Australia, with the events of last weekend leaving the entire country reeling. The Bondi attack was Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people, an event which sparked major reform of gun laws. Australia is already working to further strengthen its gun control laws in the wake of the Bondi shooting.

Unfortunately, it isn’t unheard of for scammers to prey on people’s goodwill in the wake of such events by setting up fraudulent fundraisers. These charity scams typically claim they’re raising money to support victims, but have no real connection to those impacted and no intent to give them the funds. 

To counter this, crowdfunding platform GoFundMe has created a hub of Bondi Beach shooting fundraisers which have been verified by its Trust and Safety Team. Those who wish to help the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting can donate to these fundraisers, which are also backed by GoFundMe’s guarantee of a full refund if they do turn out to be fraudulent.

A memorial has been set up at Bondi for the victims of Sunday’s mass shooting.
Credit: Saeed Khan / AFP via Getty Images

There are currently four fundraisers featured in GoFundMe’s hub. Two are raising funds to support the families of two victims killed in the shooting: 10-year-old Matilda and 41-year-old Rabbi Eli Schlanger. A third is in support of Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old shop owner who attacked and disarmed one of the shooters. He was shot multiple times in the arm, and is currently recovering in hospital. The fourth fundraiser is gathering money for both Ahmed and the families of the victims more generally.

As of writing, donors have given over $AU2.8 million ($1.9 million) to these four GoFundMe campaigns combined, spread across almost 48,000 individual donations. Over $AU2 million ($1.3 million) of this was donated to the GoFundMe for Ahmed, with many donors also leaving messages of support from around the globe.

“You showed us that Australia is home for all of us, and when it counts, we protect each other,” wrote donor Zhen Liu.

GoFundMe regularly creates verified fundraising hubs for high profile events, having previously done so for multiple U.S. mass shootings.

Australians line up to donate blood at the Town Hall Lifeblood Donor Centre in Sydney the day after the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
Credit: George Chan / Getty Images

Aside from contributing to fundraisers and laying flowers at Bondi, Australians have responded to the shooting by turning up in droves to donate blood. Long lines quickly formed at donation centres, breaking Australian Red Cross Lifeblood’s previous record for most blood, plasma and platelets given within 24 hours.

“We’ve seen an overwhelming, record breaking response from the community,” Australian Red Cross Lifeblood said on its official Facebook page. “Please consider donating blood or plasma in the coming weeks, as the need is ongoing into January.”