The person who wrestled a weapon away from a suspected gunman in the course of the antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on Sunday has been identified as Ahmed Al Ahmed, and is being hailed a hero by Australian leaders and lots of others the world over.
Viral footage of the confrontation shows Ahmed, a Syrian-born Australian and 43-year-old father of two girls, crouching behind a automobile before running towards a suspected gunman and grappling with him as gunshots rang out and sirens wailed within the background.
After a brief tussle, Ahmed managed to take the weapon from the suspect’s hands and turned the gun on him, forcing the attacker to retreat.
Ahmed was later shot several times by a second perpetrator and is recovering from surgery in a Sydney hospital, Reuters reported on Monday.
In an interview on Monday, Al Ahmed told reporters from his hospital bed, “What can I even say? I went through a tricky time [that] only God knows about” before asking for prayers and sending positive messages to Australians amid the devastation.
As of Monday afternoon, a fundraising campaign for Al Ahmed has raised over AUS$1.7 million (CAD 1.55 million) via 30,000 contributions from around the globe. Billionaire businessman Bill Ackman donated $99,999, in line with the GoFundMe page.
“This GoFundMe has been created to indicate our gratitude and support for somebody who demonstrated incredible courage when it mattered most,” the page, created by Automobile Hub Australia and YouTuber Zachery Dereniowski, says.
Ahmed, who emigrated from Syria to Australia in 2006, in line with the Latest York Times, was praised by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said Ahmed’s bravery saved lives.
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“What we’ve seen within the last 24 hours was the worst of humanity in a terrorist act. But we also saw an example of the perfect of humanity in Ahmed Al Ahmed running towards danger, putting his own life in danger,” Albanese told state broadcaster ABC News.
Latest South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who shared a photograph of a visit to Ahmed’s hospital bed, also commended him for his bravery.
“There isn’t any doubt that more lives would have been lost if not for Ahmed’s selfless courage. Thanks, Ahmed,” he wrote.
Similarly, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke singled out Ahmed’s bravery.
“All Australians stand together against that attack — the police who were there standing together against the attackers, first responders standing together against the attackers and even a bystander like Ahmed Al Ahmed standing there, putting their very own lives in danger against those attackers,” Burke said, in line with CNN.
U.S. President Donald Trump called Ahmed “a really, very brave person” who saved many lives.
King Charles III, in a press release addressed to those affected by the attack, sent his condolences and praised the efforts of emergency services and members of the general public whose “heroic actions little question prevented even greater horror and tragedy.”
Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in an interview that his son “is a hero.”
“He served within the police, he has the eagerness to defend people.”
“When he saw people lying on the bottom and the blood, quickly his conscience pushed him to attack one in all the terrorists and take away his weapon,” Mohamed Fateh said.
Ahmed was having a coffee with a friend near the beach when he heard gunshots, his parents added.
“He wasn’t excited about the background of the people he’s saving, the people dying on the street … he doesn’t discriminate between one nationality and one other.”
Members of the general public also gathered at St George’s Hospital, where Ahmed is being treated, to drop off gifts and express their gratitude.
Misha and Veronica Pochuev left flowers for Ahmed with their seven-year-old daughter, Miroslava.
“My husband is Russian, my father is Jewish, my grandpa is Muslim. This shouldn’t be only about Bondi, that is about every body,” Veronica said, in line with Reuters.
Yomna Touni, 43, stayed on the hospital for hours to help on behalf of a Muslim-run charity that was also raising funds for Ahmed.
“The intention is to lift as much money as possible for his speedy recovery,” she said, Reuter’s reported.
The attacks have been condemned globally by Jewish and Muslim organizations, which have also thanked Ahmed for his heroic actions.
“We honor the bravery of Ahmed al Ahmed, a bystander who risked his life to guard those under fire. The lesson, yet again, is all too clear: Our safety is sure up together,” it continued, while the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) wrote it was “devastated by the horrifying scenes from Sydney, where families have been targeted in a terrorist massacre at a Chanukah celebration,” warning that Canadians aren’t resistant to such attacks.
In one other post, the National Council of Canadian Muslims addressed Canadian and Australian Jews directly.
“To the Canadian Jewish community, know that just like the Muslim grocer in Australia who reportedly intervened to take down the gunman on this horrifying terrorist attack, we stand with you against hate, anti-Semitism, and in mourning,” it said in a press release on X.
Similarly, the Australian National Imams Council wrote: “The Council of Imams NSW and the Australian Muslim community unequivocally condemn the horrific shootings in Bondi.”
“Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those that witnessed or were affected by this deeply traumatic attack. We acknowledge the pain, fear, and distress felt across the community and extend our sincere compassion and support to all who’re grieving,” it continued.
“This can be a moment for all Australians, including the Australian Muslim community, to face together in unity, compassion, and solidarity, rejecting violence in all its forms and affirming our shared commitment to social harmony and the protection of all Australians,” the statement concluded.
— With files from Reuters