Moment hero tackles Bondi Beach gunman
· Yahoo NewsCredit: X
A bystander tackled and disarmed one of the alleged shooters at Bondi Beach in a heroic act that may have saved lives during the Hanukkah mass shooting.
Video footage shows a man, named by local media as Ahmed al Ahmed, hiding behind a parked car before pouncing on the shooter. He grapples with him and wrestles away what appears to be a rifle.
After a brief struggle, the bystander, a father-of-two greengrocer, takes the gun and points it at the alleged shooter, who falls backwards onto the ground and begins crawling away.
Mr Ahmed was shot twice in the struggle and is undergoing surgery in hospital.
His cousin told Australian news outlet 7News: “He’s in hospital and we don’t know exactly what’s going on inside.
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“We do hope he will be fine. He’s a hero 100 per cent.”
At least 12 people, including one of the alleged gunmen, were killed in the shooting at a Hanukkah party in Bondi Beach, Australia, on Sunday at about 6:40pm local time.
In footage circulated online, Mr Ahmed disarms the shooter, raises his hand and places the gun on the ground. The gunman then walks slowly away, while another member of the public throws an object at him.
Multiple shots are heard, and the camera pans to a second alleged gunman taking aim from a bridge above the car park.
People can be heard shouting, “Get back, get back,” as the second gunman, dressed entirely in black, fires shots from the bridge.
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At this point, the first gunman is seen joining his accomplice on the bridge, where he picks up another rifle. The pair take cover behind the bridge wall and fire their weapons outward.
Credit: X/@AustralianJA
Two members of the public, including Mr Ahmed, attempt to take cover behind a tree. He is later seen with a visible injury to his arm, walking away from the scene, nursing his wound before collapsing.
Other members of the public are filmed hiding behind cars and trees.
Drone footage taken above the bridge shows the gunmen together. One, dressed in white trousers, is lying down and is presumed dead. His partner continues firing in multiple directions before also lying down.
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Another video taken on the bridge shows the two gunmen lying face down on the ground, with red cartridges, firearms, and backpacks scattered around them, as police officers rush in and stand over one of the suspects.
A separate bystander is seen sitting on the back of the second gunman before a shirtless man runs over and stamps on his head. He is then pushed away by police.
Footage of the aftermath shows bodies strewn across the park as people gather around. Some are seen administering CPR, while others crouch beside injured victims and bodies.
Antony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, praised the hero bystanders and police who rushed to stop the gunmen and save the wounded.
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He said: “The evil that was unleashed at Bondi beach today is beyond comprehension and the trauma and loss that families are dealing with tonight is beyond anyone’s worst nightmare”.
“We are also thinking of everyone being treated for their injuries, and many of whom are alive right now because of the courage and quick action of the New South Wales Police and the first responders who rushed to their aid, as well as the courage of everyday Australians who, without hesitating, put themselves in danger in order to keep their fellow Australians safe.
“We have seen Australians today run towards danger in order to help others.”