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Parents of a man who fought off a gunman at Bondi Beach have praised their son as a hero. Ahmed Al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner, ran toward one of the shooters and took away his gun during a deadly attack on Sunday.
The attack happened at a Hanukkah festival on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Two gunmen, Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, opened fire on people there. They killed at least 15 people, including a child as young as 10 and others up to 87 years old. Another 42 people went to the hospital with injuries ranging from mild to serious.
Video of the brave act spread quickly online, with more than 22 million views on social media. It shows Ahmed Al Ahmed sneaking up on one gunman from behind and wrestling a long gun away from him. Another person then threw something at the gunman, and both hid behind a tree as the shooter walked away.
Ahmed Al Ahmed got shot four or five times in his shoulder during the fight. His parents said the bullets came from the second gunman, who might have used a sniper rifle from a bridge nearby. Some bullets are still stuck in his body, possibly in the bone.
His parents, Mohamed Fateh Al Ahmed and Malakeh Hasan Al Ahmed, came to Sydney from Syria just a few months ago. They had not seen their son since he moved to Australia in 2006. They told reporters he was having coffee with a friend when he heard the shots. He saw people dying and acted fast when the gunman ran out of bullets.
“He saw people losing their lives, and he took the gun from him, but got hit,” his mother said. “We pray God saves him.” His father added that Ahmed would help anyone, no matter their background. “He does not see differences between people, especially in Australia where everyone is equal.”
Ahmed has two young daughters, aged three and six. His family said he would do anything to protect others. His cousin, Hozay Alkanj, said he finished his first surgery well but might need two or three more.
The police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, said bystanders like Ahmed saved lives in the chaos. The younger gunman is in the hospital under police watch after a shootout that killed his father. Police expect to charge him with crimes.
News of Ahmed’s bravery reached the United States. President Donald Trump spoke about him at the White House, calling him “very brave” and saying he “saved a lot of lives.” Billionaire William Ackman gave $100,000 to a fundraiser for Ahmed, the biggest donation so far. The fundraiser raised over $500,000 in just 12 hours.
Ahmed’s parents worry they are too old to help him recover, as he may now be disabled. They asked the Australian government, led by Prime Minister Albanese, to let Ahmed’s brothers come from Germany and Russia to support the family.
