A 9-year-old Beis Rivka student in Melbourne was among four people killed and over thirty others injured when a vehicle driven by a man plowed into pedestrians on Friday, 22 Teves at 2:00PM local time. According to local police the “incident” occurred in Melbourne’s CBD, a business district, adding a man and a woman in their thirties are also among the dead.

The mother and a sister of the Beis Rivka student are among the wounded. Their condition was listed as serious before Shabbos.

The 9-year-old has been identified as Thalia Hakin A”H.

Hakin, a student of Beth Rivkah, was with her family when the car deliberately rammed into pedestrians, killing four and injuring dozens more.

On Shabbos, her mother Nathalie remained in intensive care in hospital.

Her sister Maggie, aged 9, also remains in hospital.

The driver has been identified as Jimmy Gargasouslas (26), who is accused of stabbing his brother in his mother’s home earlier in the day, a man with a history of family violence and drug abuse.

Police yesterday shot the 26-year-old occupant of the vehicle and he was taken into custody.

Authorities say the incident was not terror related.

Names for tehillim:
Rachel bat Mazal רחל בת מזל
Mazal bat Chola מזל בת חולה

Community Announcement

We are all deeply saddened and shocked at the horrific tragedy that occurred on Friday in the Melbourne CBD. We mourn the loss of our dear student and community member, Thalia Hakin, as well as the others who lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hakin family, we pray that Rachel bas Mazal and Mazal bas Chulah should have a Refuah Shleima, a complete and speedy recovery together with all those who were injured.

There will be a community memorial and prayer service tonight (Sunday night 23 January) at the Werdiger Family Hall from 7:30pm to 8:15pm . The service will incorporate Torah, Tefillah and Tzedakah.

May we share Besuros Tovos.

The Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah Colleges
& Rabbinical Council of Victoria

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)