Bystander's split-second move disarmed mass shooter firing at Jewish families. It cost him dearly but saved countless lives
Trigger Warning- This article contains themes of gun violence that can be distressing for some readers.
A brave man put his own life in danger to save other people during a mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. The incident happened on December 14, 2025, as Jewish families gathered at the beach to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah — the eight-day festival of lights. Around a thousand people had gathered at the beach when two gunmen opened fire on them. The man, Ahmed el Ahmed, a fruit store owner, noticed the gunmen and tackled one of them to prevent them from firing shots anymore, per the Independent. The shooting was termed as terrorism targeted at Jewish Australians.
Ahmed had noticed the gunmen from a distance as they fired shots at people. He bravely approached them from behind and managed to tackle one of them to the ground. The man also fought the shooter and took his gun away and pointed it at him. The shooter fled the scene because of that. The police confirmed that Ahmed's action had saved many people's lives. Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales, called the man a hero for saving people. "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," Minns remarked.
"That man is a genuine hero and I've no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery," Minns went on. Ahmed also suffered gunshot wounds as he tried to defend other people. He had two bullet wounds on his arm and hand and was taken to the hospital after the incident. The 43-year-old man owns a fruit store in Sutherland Shire, according to the outlet. The man's parents, Mohamed Fateh Al Ahmed and Malakeh Hasan Al Ahmed, were proud of what their son did, per ABC News. The parents revealed that their son was supposed to get multiple surgeries because of the bullet wounds. He was shot in his shoulder four to five times as he fought the gunman.
"He saw they were dying and people were losing their lives and when that guy, the shooter, ran out of ammo, he took it from him, but he was hit. We pray that God saves him," the man's mom expressed. Ahmed was having a coffee with his friend at the beach when the incident happened. The gunmen were a father-son duo and had killed 15 people during the incident. 42 other people were also taken to the hospital. The 50-year-old gunman was killed during a shootout by the police and the 24-year-old son was taken to the hospital for his injuries. The police were still investigating whether a third person was involved in the attacks, per the Independent. Many strangers had visited the hospital to give flowers to Ahmed, per 7News Australia.
Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, condemned the attack and remarked, "This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith. There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation. Let me be clear, we will eradicate it." The older gunman held a recreational hunting license, according to CNN. The country has one of the strictest gun laws around the world and is pushing for even stricter laws after the incident, according to the Prime Minister. Gun licenses might come with a time limit in the country from now on.