Hero bystander who tackled gunman in incredible footage identifiedJosefine Ganko
Updated December 15, 2025 — 5:08am, first published December 14, 2025 — 8:14pm
A hero bystander who wrestled a rifle off an alleged gunman in a moment of bravery that may have saved lives has been identified as 43-year-old father of two Ahmed el Ahmed.
In an incredible act of courage, Ahmed placed himself in the line of fire to take a rifle from the shooter, and was later hit by at least two bullets himself.
Ahmed’s cousin, identified only as Mustafa, spoke to Seven News outside St George Hospital, where he is undergoing surgery. Mustafa confirmed to Seven that Ahmed had taken on the gunman and later sustained bullet wounds to his upper arm and his hand.
“He’s in hospital, and we don’t know exactly what’s going on inside,” Mustafa said.
“We do hope he will be fine. He’s a hero 100 per cent.”
Ahmed is from Sydney’s Sutherland Shire and owns a fruit business. He has no known experience with guns and was visiting Bondi when he saw the shooting unfolding, Seven News reported.
The incredible footage from the scene at Bondi Beach shows one of the gunmen, dressed in a black shirt and white pants, holding a black bag and standing beside two bins next to the Campbell Parade car park as he fires into the crowd gathered on the lawn nearby.
Ahmed, dressed in a white or light blue shirt and black pants, moves towards the gunman through the car park, crouching behind a parked car as he creeps as close as he can to the shooter, while remaining out of sight.
Once he is close enough, he pounces, wrapping his arms around the gunman and wrestling with him until he’s able to pry the rifle out of his hands. The gunman then falls backwards onto the ground as Ahmed picks up the rifle and aims it at him.
The shooter then backs away, walking towards the car park overpass, where the other shooter was still stationed.
Ahmed places the rifle against a tree and backs away. As the footage continues, another bystander can be seen chasing after the gunman, throwing something at him as he walks towards the bridge.
Other footage from the scene shows the gunman then rejoins the other assailant at the bridge. Having entered the line of fire at great personal risk to save lives, Ahmed was then shot twice, sustaining gunshot wounds to his upper arm and hand.
Speaking to the media before Ahmed’s identity was confirmed, both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns singled out his bravery.
“We have seen Australians today run towards danger in order to help others. These Australians are heroes and their bravery has saved lives,” Albanese said at a press conference.
In a separate press conference, Minns remarked on the “extraordinary acts of personal courage and bravery from individuals in our community”.
“I think it’s worth remembering that in all of this evil, in all of this sadness, there are still wonderful, brave Australians that are prepared to risk their lives to help a complete stranger.“
Source:
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/n...214-p5nnlb.html