Updated on: December 14, 2025 / 9:53 PM EST / CBS/AFP
A fruit shop owner who intervened to disarm one of the attackers during an antisemitic terror attack near Sydney’s Bondi Beach is being celebrated for his bravery.
Authorities say two gunmen — a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son — killed at least 15 people and wounded many others during a Hanukkah celebration close to the beach. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the 50-year-old attacker was killed and the 24-year-old was hospitalized in serious condition.
Social media videos from the scene show a man crouched behind a parked car along Campbell Parade, the street that runs parallel to Bondi Beach. In one clip, the man springs up and tackles a suspect who had just fired a weapon toward an area out of view.
Local outlets identified the man as 43-year-old fruit seller Ahmed al Ahmed. The footage appears to show him wrestle the gun away and then point it at the shooter, who backs off. 7News reported that al Ahmed sustained two gunshot wounds.
A relative who identified himself as Ahmed’s cousin, Mustapha, said Ahmed is in hospital and the family does not yet know the full extent of his injuries. He added that they hope Ahmed will recover and called him a hero.
The video has gone viral, and Ahmed has been widely praised online for a swift, courageous act that many say likely saved lives.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns described al Ahmed as a genuine hero and noted that amid the tragedy there were brave Australians willing to risk themselves for strangers.
At an event in Washington, U.S. President Trump said the man’s actions saved many lives, called him very brave and noted he was seriously injured and in hospital.
Police remained at the scene as investigations into the attack and its motives continued.