Heroic Bystander Ahmed Al Ahmed Critically Injured After Disarming Gunman in Bondi Beach Attack

Ahmed sustained multiple wounds, primarily to his left arm.

New Delhi:

The bystander who confronted a gunman and disarmed him during Sunday's Bondi Beach attack is currently in critical condition. Ahmed Al Ahmed, who is in his 40s, states he would take the same action again, despite suffering from being "riddled with bullets."

"He doesn't regret what he did," reported Sam Issa, Ahmed's migration lawyer, after visiting him at St George Hospital in Kogarah.

The incident occurred around 6:45 pm Sunday during a public Hanukkah celebration. Two assailants opened fire from a footbridge, aiming at the gathered crowd. Ahmed confronted one attacker, managed to wrestle away the rifle, and ultimately saved numerous lives before being shot twice himself.

"He said he'd do it again," Issa mentioned. "But the pain has started to take a toll on him. He's not well at all. He's riddled with bullets. Our hero is struggling at the moment," the lawyer explained.

Ahmed suffered multiple wounds, mainly to his left arm, with one bullet lodged in the back of his left shoulder blade that physicians have yet to remove. According to Issa, Ahmed may lose his left arm due to the severity of his injuries.

"He's a lot worse than expected. When you think of a bullet in the arm, you don't think of serious injuries, but he has lost a lot of blood," he stated.

Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim who immigrated to Australia in 2006, received citizenship in 2022. His initial application in 2019 was denied due to minor legal charges, which were subsequently dismissed. Issa indicated he would advocate for Ahmed's elderly parents to receive citizenship as recognition of their son's heroic service. "This is an opportunity for the PM to do something good as a reward for his bravery," Issa suggested.

According to Issa, Ahmed feels "indebted" to the Australian community. "Ahmed's a humble man, he's not interested in coverage, he just did what he was compelled to do as a human being on that day," Issa explained.

"He gets that gratitude from being in Australia. This is his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship. He has really appreciated this community, and he felt that as a member of the community, he had to act that way and contribute."

His parents, Fateh and Malaka Al Ahmed, reported that their son maintained "good spirits" despite his injuries.

"He said he thanks God that he was able to do this, to help innocent people and to save people from these monsters, these killers," his father shared. Malaka Al Ahmed added that she could not stop crying when she learned her son had saved lives.

Ahmed, father of two daughters aged five and six, had gone to Bondi with his cousin, Jozay Alkanj, for coffee just minutes before the attack occurred.

Alkanj recalled, "He said, 'I'm going to die – please see my family [and tell them] that I went down to save people's lives'."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns praised Ahmed's courageous actions. Over 5,700 donors have contributed more than $570,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to support Ahmed, including a $100,000 donation from US billionaire Bill Ackman.