"Ahmed al-Ahmed, despite the danger to himself, disarmed the suspect and was seriously injured, undergoing surgery in hospital", Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference on 15/12/2024, referring to the man who risked his life to subdue a shooter at Bondi Beach in Sydney the day before.
The prime minister praised Ahmed as a "real-life hero", suggesting his actions demonstrated the spirit of Australian unity. However, Ahmed's initial thought, at 43 years old, when rushing into danger was not to play the hero, according to his cousin, Jozay Alkanj.
Alkanj recounted that he and Ahmed were invited by people at Bondi Beach to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. While having coffee, they suddenly heard gunshots.
They sought cover among automobiles to avoid bullets, but when they saw suspect Sajid Akram, 50 years old, aiming his gun at victims very close to them, Ahmed decided to act.
"He told me: 'I will likely die. Please try to go home and tell my family that I went to save people'," Alkanj told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Footage from the scene shows Ahmed crouching and moving between automobiles, waiting for Sajid to stop shooting before lunging to restrain him and wrestle the gun away. Ahmed then brandished the gun, forcing Sajid and his accomplice to run back towards the overpass.
Ahmed chose not to fire, instead raising his hands to signal to police that he was not a threat, then propped the gun against a nearby tree and continued to hide. However, a second gunman, Naveed Akram, 24 years old, used a hunting rifle to shoot Ahmed, hitting him in the left shoulder.
Mustafa al-Asaad, another cousin of Ahmed, told Al Araby channel that Ahmed's actions were purely instinctive. "When he saw people dying and entire families being shot, he couldn't bear it. It was a humanitarian act, stemming from conscience", Asaad said.
Ahmed was taken to hospital, undergoing several surgeries to remove pellets from his shoulder, but one lodged behind his shoulder blade has not yet been removed. He faces the risk of needing his left arm disarticulated.
Despite this, after meeting Ahmed in hospital, Asaad heard his cousin say that "God gave me courage" and that he did not regret his actions.
Ahmed was born and raised in Idlib city, northern Syria. He immigrated to Australia in 2006 and later became a citizen.
His parents, Mohamed Fateh al-Ahmed and Malakeh Hasan al-Ahmed, told ABC that their son had been a police officer in his homeland and always yearned to protect others.
"Ahmed did not consider the origin or identity of the people he saved. He did not differentiate one nationality from another. In Australia, all citizens are equal", Mohamed Fateh al-Ahmed said.
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Ahmed al-Ahmed at St George hospital in Sydney, 15/12/2024. Photo: X/ChrisMinns |
Ahmed's actions quickly garnered attention, leading to a wave of support. A GoFundMe campaign was launched, raising over 1.8 million AUD (approximately 1.2 million USD) for him.
"When he disarmed the terrorist, despite his own safety, that incredible bravery saved countless more lives", New South Wales Premier Chris Minns wrote on X.
Thanh Danh (According to Guardian, Times, NY Post, Global News)
