The bystander who grabbed the gun from one of the attackers in the Bondi Beach shooting has been identified as Ahmed Al-Ahmed, whose parents were refugees who had just arrived from Syria, Australian officials and media said.
Mr Ahmed, 43, a father of two girls, risked his life by tackling the alleged gunman and seizing his gun during Sunday’s attack.
He was then shot dead by one of the two gunmen. The father-son duo targeted Jewish congregations and beachgoers on a beach rampage, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more.
Dramatic footage of the crash, which has been viewed millions of times on social media, showed Ahmed crouching behind the car, throwing himself away from the gunman who had just fired a gun. Sirens wailed and gunshots rang out as the two men grappled for several seconds before Ahmed wrested the gun from the attacker’s hands.
Mr. Ahmed then pointed his weapon at the attacker, but the attacker retreated.
Home Secretary Tony Burke praised Mr Ahmed at a press conference led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday, identifying him as a “bystander” who put his life at risk.
“All Australians stood together against that attack. The police at the scene stood together against the attacker, the first responders stood together against the attacker, and even bystanders like Ahmed Al Ahmed standing there risked their lives against the attacker,” Mr Burke said.
On Monday, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns posted a photo of Mr Ahmed recovering from his injuries in hospital. “Ahmed is a real-life hero. His incredible courage undoubtedly saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at great risk last night,” Minns wrote on Facebook.
“It was a privilege to now spend time with him and say thank you to people across New South Wales. Without Ahmed’s selfless courage, there is no doubt that many more lives would have been lost. Thank you, Ahmed.”
Ahmed’s parents said he was shot several times in the shoulder and some of the bullets were still lodged inside him, state broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.
The couple told the ABC their son arrived in Australia in 2006 but had only moved to Sydney from Syria a few months earlier. It is unclear whether the Ahmad family is Syrian or another nationality.
They added that Ahmed has two daughters, ages 3 and 6, and would have done anything to protect anyone.
“When he did it, he didn’t think about the context of the people he was trying to save, the people who were dying on the streets,” Ahmed’s father said. “He doesn’t differentiate between nationality and nationality. Especially here in Australia, there’s no difference between nationality and nationality.”
Outside St George’s Hospital, Ahmed’s cousin Mustafa told 7News he was feeling fine but had not yet undergone surgery.
“Without a doubt he is a hero. Without a doubt, because maybe he could have died to save other people,” Mustafa told 7News.
