Passer-by who tackled armed man at Bondi Beach shooting hailed as hero
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Footage circulating on social media shows a man in a car park wearing a white shirt running up to a man in a dark shirt who is holding a rifle.
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SYDNEY - A passer-by captured on video tackling and disarming an armed man during an attack in which 16 people were killed at a Jewish holiday event
Authorities said far more people would have been killed were it not for the bystander, identified by local media as fruit shop owner Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, who was filmed charging a gunman in a dark shirt from behind, grappling with him and wrenching the rifle from him with his hands before pointing the gun back at the man.
The video then shows the man in the dark shirt losing his footing, backing away towards a bridge where another shooter is located, while the passer-by places the rifle down on the ground.
Reuters confirmed the video from verified corroborating footage showing the same men.
Reuters also verified, by their clothing, that the armed men in the video are the same as the individuals seen surrounded by the police in verified corroborating visuals.
One suspected gunman was killed and another was in a critical condition following the shooting. Police said they were investigating whether a third gunman was involved.
The footage of the passer-by’s actions spread quickly on social media as people praised him for his bravery, saying his actions had potentially saved many lives.
“Australian hero (random civilian) wrestles gun off attacker and disarms him. Some people are brave, and then some people are... whatever this is,” one person said on the X platform, sharing the video.
“This Australian man saved countless lives by stripping the gun off one of the terrorists at Bondi Beach. HERO,” another said.
Mr Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales state, where Sydney is located, said it was the “most unbelievable scene I’ve ever seen”.
“A man walking up to a gunman who had fired on the community and single-handedly disarming him, putting his own life at risk to save the lives of countless other people.
“That man is a genuine hero, and I’ve got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery.”
The suspected shooters on a pedestrian bridge in Sydney on Dec 14.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the actions of Australians who had “run towards danger in order to help others”.
“These Australians are heroes and their bravery has saved lives,” he told a press conference. REUTERS
