Fruit shop owner who tackled Bondi Beach gunman hailed as 'genuine hero'
Footage circulating on social media shows a courageous bystander neutralising a gunman during a mass shooting in Sydney
A fruit shop owner has been hailed a “genuine hero” for tackling one of the Bondi Beach attackers and grabbing his gun.
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The extraordinary clip shows a man heroically tackling and disarming one of the shooters as the incident unfolded at the popular Australian beach.
At least 15 people, as well as one of the gunmen, have died in the shooting on Sunday evening, with 40 injured.
In between shots, the bystander charges through the vehicles and grabs the shooter in a headlock from behind and manages to seize the assailant's weapon.
Ahmed al Ahmed, a father-of-two, has been named by relatives as the man fighting the terrorist in a video shared widely on social media.
His family said Mr Ahmed, from the Sutherland area of Sydney, remains in hospital where he has undergone surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and hand.
The 43-year-old is seen in the footage, wearing a white T-shirt and crouching behind a car before pouncing on the back of the gunman then grappling with him and snatching the rifle away from him.
Read more: Nine killed in Bondi Beach shooting - with one gunman also shot dead and 13 taken to hospital
🔴CRAZY🔴
— GAZAWOOD - the PALLYWOOD saga (@GAZAWOOD1) December 14, 2025
a bystander neutralizes the attacker in the Australia attack. https://t.co/Rtm8EX6iB4 pic.twitter.com/dTgdCsTJtc
The gunman backs away in a car park area as Mr Ahmed points the shotgun at him.
Mr Ahmed is then seen raising his hand before resting the gun against a tree apparently to show to police that he was not one of the attackers.
His cousin Mustafa told 7News Australia: "Still he is in hospital and we don't know exactly what is going on, the doctor says he is OK.
"We hope he is OK, he is a hero, 100% he is a hero.
"He has two shots, one in his arm and one in his hand, he has had to have an operation."
New South Wales premier Chris Minns described Mr Ahmed as a "genuine hero", and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "We have seen Australians today run towards danger in order to help others.
"These Australians are heroes, and their bravery has saved lives."
In the footage, The shooter retreats towards a bridge, as the man in the white shirt points the gun at him.
The hero watches the attacker flee and does not fire back. He then places the confiscated weapon against a tree before taking cover himself.
Another gunman can be seen taking shots from the bridge as the disarmed attacker moves to his position.
Sirens and shots can be heard in the background.
A police officer can also been seen taking cover behind a vehicle near the bridge as sirens can be heard approaching in the background, with further gunshots being exchanged.