As fear spread across Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a deadly shooting, a local man stepped forward and risked his life to stop the attack. His name is Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner, who is now being widely praised for tackling and disarming one of the gunmen.
Ahmed, a father of two from southern Sydney, was passing through the area when gunfire broke out near Chanukah By The Sea, a Jewish community event held close to a children’s playground. Hundreds of families were present when two attackers opened fire on Sunday evening.
Videos that later went viral show Ahmed taking cover behind parked cars as shots were heard. At one point, he suddenly ran towards one of the gunmen from behind, grabbed him and put him in a headlock. After a brief but intense struggle, Ahmed managed to snatch the shotgun from the attacker, forcing him to retreat.
In the footage, Ahmed can later be seen sitting on the ground while people rush to help him. A towel is pressed against his leg to stop the bleeding. According to his family, Ahmed was shot twice during the incident but remained conscious. He placed the seized weapon against a nearby tree before being taken to the hospital.
His cousin Mustafa confirmed his identity while speaking outside the hospital. “He is in hospital and we don’t know exactly what’s going on inside,” Mustafa said. “We do hope he will be fine. He’s a hero, one hundred percent.”
Family members said Ahmed has no experience with firearms and acted purely on instinct to protect others around him. Australian media reports said he was scheduled to undergo surgery later that night.
Police said two shooters were involved in the attack. One was shot dead at the scene, while the other was critically injured and taken into custody. Authorities later confirmed that at least eleven people were killed and twenty-nine others were injured. Emergency services deployed helicopters and specialist medical teams, treating several people on site and transporting others to hospitals across Sydney.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the scenes as “shocking and distressing” and said police and emergency workers were focused on saving lives. Officials urged the public to stay away from Bondi Beach as investigations continued.
The video of Ahmed’s actions has drawn widespread praise online and in the media, with many saying his bravery likely prevented further loss of life.
