A Sydney shop owner has shared a gripping, moment-by-moment account of how he confronted an armed attacker during the deadly Bondi Beach shooting, an act that likely saved lives. Reported by NDTV.
Ahmed al Ahmed, a father of two born in Syria, described how he tackled one of the gunmen from behind a parked car, wrestled for control, and seized the weapon—before a second attacker opened fire on him, causing serious injuries.
Speaking to CBS News, Ahmed recalled the chaos of the moment. “I jumped on his back, hit him, and told him to drop his gun. It all happened so fast,” he said.
Ahmed explained that his sole focus was stopping the violence. “My target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being's life and not killing innocent people,” he said.
Describing the surge of emotion that compelled him to act, Ahmed added, “And emotionally, I'm doing something, which is I feel something, a power in my body, my brain ... I don't want to see people killed in front of me, I don't want to hear his gun, I don't want to see people screaming and begging, asking for help, and that's my soul asking me to do that.”
During the attack, Ahmed was shot multiple times by the second gunman. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors treated multiple shoulder wounds. He later learned that tens of thousands of people from the community had rallied behind him, raising AUD 2.5 million in donations to support his recovery, according to the BBC.
The injuries were severe: Ahmed required at least three surgeries after the incident. Despite his pain, he expressed deep sorrow for the victims who lost their lives.
Leaders across Australia praised his bravery. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Ahmed in hospital, calling him “the best of our country,” while New South Wales Premier Chris Minns described him as a “real-life hero.”
Ahmed’s parents told BBC Arabic that their son acted out of conscience, emotion, and humanity.
Authorities said the shooting occurred during a Hanukkah celebration and targeted Sydney’s Jewish community. Fifteen people were killed and around 40 injured.
Police identified the attackers as Sajid Akram, 50, who was killed by police at the scene, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram. Naveed was hospitalised and has since been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one count of carrying out a terrorist attack.
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