When gunfire shattered a crowded Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday, panic swept through hundreds of revelers. Amid screams and desperate attempts to flee, one man’s split-second decision altered the course of the tragedy and likely saved many lives.
Ahmed Al Ahmed, a 43-year-old Syrian-born Australian and father of two, was nearby when he saw a gunman firing into the crowd. Unarmed and without any formal training, Ahmed ran toward the shooter. Video footage, later circulated globally, shows him tackling the attacker from behind, wresting a rifle from his hands, and preventing further carnage.
From Syria to Sydney
Originally from war-ravaged Syria, Ahmed migrated to Australia more than a decade ago, building a new life in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney. He and his wife run a small fruit shop and are raising two young children The hero of Bondi Beach.
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Despite his courageous actions, Ahmed had no prior experience with firearms. Family members say his intervention was purely instinctive. “He did what he did to protect others,” a cousin told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Ahmed was shot twice—once in the arm and once in the hand—during the struggle and later underwent surgery. Speaking outside St George Hospital, his cousin Mustafa said the family was hopeful about his recovery. “He’s a hero, 100 per cent,” he said, as reported by 7NEWS.
Ahmed’s father, speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, said his son remained in good spirits. “He thanks God that he was able to help innocent people and save lives from these killers,” he said.
The act of bravery has drawn international praise, including from US President Donald Trump, who described Ahmed as “a very, very brave person” whose actions “saved a lot of lives.”
‘I’m Going to Die’
Recounting the moments before the confrontation, Ahmed’s cousin Jozay Alkanj said they were having coffee nearby when the shooting began. “He told me, ‘I’m going to die. Please see my family and tell them I went down to save people’s lives,’” Alkanj said.
Footage from the scene shows Ahmed advancing toward the gunman, using parked cars as cover before lunging at the attacker and disarming him. With another shooter still active, Ahmed is later seen placing the rifle on the ground and raising his hands to indicate he posed no threat.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns described the incident as “one of the most unbelievable scenes” he had witnessed, saying he was convinced “many, many people are alive tonight because of his bravery.”
The Bondi Beach Attack
Authorities said a father and son carried out the shooting at the Jewish festival, killing 16 people, including a child, in Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades. At least 42 others were injured and taken to hospital.
The annual event had drawn more than 1,000 people to Bondi Beach. Witnesses said the attackers fired from a raised boardwalk overlooking the beach, spraying bullets for approximately 10 minutes before police fatally shot the 50-year-old father. His 24-year-old son was arrested and remains under police guard in hospital with serious injuries.
Officials described the attack as an antisemitic act of terrorism. Australia’s intelligence services confirmed that the son had been investigated in 2019 for possible links to the Islamic State group, according to the national broadcaster ABC, citing senior counter-terrorism officials.
As investigations continue, Ahmed Al Ahmed’s extraordinary courage has emerged as a defining moment of humanity amid one of Australia’s darkest days.
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