A second civilian rushed toward the now-unarmed attacker in Bondi, throwing an object as the gunman began to walk away. Witnesses said both civilians remained crouched behind a tree during the tense moments.
Ahmed Al Ahmed, who was shot four to five times in the shoulder, still has several bullets lodged in his body, according to his parents Mohamed Fateh Al Ahmed and Malakeh Hasan Al Ahmed. The couple, who arrived in Sydney from Syria only months ago, said they had been separated from their son since he migrated to Australia in 2006.
“He saw people dying, losing their lives, and when that guy ran out of ammo, he took the gun from him, but he was hit,” his mother explained.
Ahmed Al Ahmed had been having coffee with a friend in Bondi when gunfire erupted. Spotting one of the shooters crouched behind a tree, he approached from behind once the attacker’s ammunition was depleted and managed to wrestle the weapon away.
His parents described him as a devoted father of two young daughters, aged three and six, who would risk everything to protect others regardless of their background or faith.
“When he did what he did, he wasn’t thinking about nationality or religion,” his father said. “He doesn’t discriminate. Especially here in Australia, there’s no difference between one citizen and another.”
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