CONTENT WARNING: This article contains distressing content.
The heroic bystander who disarmed an alleged gunman during the mass shooting at Bondi Beach on Sunday has been identified as 43-year-old father Ahmed el Ahmed.
Ahmed’s bravery — which has already been praised by politicians — was captured in footage widely shared on social media. In it, Ahmed is seen creeping up behind the shooter and placing himself in the line of fire to wrestle a rifle off the gunman.
After disarming him, Ahmed grabbed the rifle and pointed it towards the gunman, forcing him to retreat. Ahmed later placed the rifle up against a tree and backed away.
Ahmed suffered two bullet wounds during the commotion and was taken to St George hospital where he is undergoing surgery, his cousin Mustafa revealed.
“He’s in hospital, and we don’t know exactly what’s going on inside,” Mustafa said per The Sydney Morning Herald. “We do hope he will be fine. He’s a hero 100 per cent.”
Mustafa said Ahmed was hit by two bullets during the incident, one on his upper arm and one on his hand. His courage was singled out by both Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns when they addressed the media on Sunday.
“We have seen Australians today run towards danger in order to help others. These Australians are heroes and their bravery has saved lives,” Albanese said.
Minns, in a separate press conference, said Ahmed’s actions may have saved “many” lives.
“That man is a genuine hero, and I’ve got no doubt there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery,” Minns said.
In his own response to the tragedy, US President Donald Trump described Ahmed as a “very brave person who went and attacked one of the shooters, and saved a lot of lives”.
Ahmed is from the Sutherland Shire in Sydney and owns a fruit shop business. He is not thought to have any experience with guns and was visiting Bondi Beach as the shooting was unfolding.
The gunmen have since been identified as a father, aged 50, and son, aged 24. The suspects opened fire on an event celebrating the first day of Hanukkah where at least 1000 people were in attendance.
It’s believed the shooting took place at the northern end of Bondi near the Bondi Park playground.
The death toll has risen to 16, including the 50-year-old gunman and a 10-year-old girl. It was officially declared a terrorist attack on Sunday evening, marking Australia’s worst mass shooting in 29 years.
Lead image: 9News
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