Hero Bystander Ahmed al Ahmed Disarms Gunman in Deadly Bondi Beach Shooting

A 43-year-old fruit shop owner has been hailed as a hero after dramatic video footage showed him tackling and disarming a gunman during Sunday's deadly shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach that left 16 people dead. Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim greengrocer from a Sydney suburb, was captured on widely circulated social media video charging at an armed man during the attack on a Jewish Chanukah event. The footage shows Ahmed, wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants, crouching behind a parked car before sneaking up behind the gunman and wrestling away his rifle. In the dramatic sequence, Ahmed grabs the assailant by the neck, swings him around, and wrests the weapon from his hands before pointing the gun back at the attacker. The gunman then stumbles backwards and retreats toward a pedestrian footbridge where another shooter was positioned. After disarming the gunman, Ahmed can be seen placing the rifle against a tree and raising his arms. He was subsequently shot twice - once in the arm and once in the shoulder - though it remains unclear whether he was shot by the second gunman or by police during the chaotic scene. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns praised Ahmed's actions as "the most unbelievable scene I've ever seen," calling him "a genuine hero" whose bravery saved lives. "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 said. "There are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery." The heroic act has drawn international praise, including from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, highlighting the courage displayed during the tragic incident. Ahmed's cousin, Mustafa al-Ahmad, confirmed to Australia's News 7 that Ahmed was undergoing surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. "He's a hero. One hundred percent a hero. Once we saw on social media, he's one hundred percent a hero," his cousin said. The shooting occurred during a Jewish holiday event at the popular Sydney beach, with two gunmen involved in the attack. Police eventually shot the retreating gunman on the footbridge, ending the deadly rampage. Ahmed's selfless actions have been widely celebrated on social media, with many praising the Muslim man's courage in protecting members of the Jewish community during their religious celebration. His intervention is credited with preventing what could have been an even more devastating attack.