OAN Staff Cory Hawkins and Brooke Mallory
6:36 PM – Monday, December 15, 2025
While the antisemitic terrorist attack occurred at a Hanukkah celebration near Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, where two gunmen killed at least 15 people and injured dozens, a bystander tackled and disarmed one of the shooters, despite being shot multiple times himself.
43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed’s immigration lawyer, Sam Issa, confirmed to media outlets that Ahmed told her he “would do it all over again,” despite the severe pain and injuries. Issa noted Ahmed’s actions stemmed from a sense of gratitude toward Australia, where he gained citizenship in 2022 after fleeing Syria.
Ahmed Al Ahmed, a fruit stand owner, is being hailed for his quick thinking after he disarmed one of the two terrorists involved in Saturday’s deadly antisemitic attack in Australia. Footage captured him running up behind the assailant, Sajid Akram, and taking his weapon.
Ahmed lifted the rifle, aiming its barrel toward the disarmed terrorist, who attempted to flee the scene before toppling over as bystanders threw objects at him.
He was shot in the shoulder and arm while hiding behind a tree, just before telling his cousin “I am going to die. Please see my family and tell them that I went down to save people’s lives,” proceeding to charge the gunman.
His heroism did not falter even as “the pain has started to take a toll on him,” Issa, who visited him on Monday, explained.
“He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again.”
“He’s having multiple surgeries, he’s got five gunshot wounds. It’s a serious injury – far more serious than has been reported. At this stage, he says he has no feeling in his arm. I’m no medical doctor but he said to me that it seems like one of the bullets may have hit a nerve.”
A GoFundMe was raised to help Ahmed with medical bills, with just over $1 million raised so far. More than 25,000 people donated, with U.S. billionaire Bill Ackman donating $66,500.
“No one expects to be a hero, but when the moment came, he was,” the fundraiser’s organizers wrote.
Ahmed migrated to Australia in 2006, and is currently raising his two daughters, ages three and six. He later received Australian citizenship in 2022.
“Ahmed’s a humble man, he’s not interested in coverage, he just did what he was compelled to do as a human being on that day,” Issa noted “He gets that gratitude from being in Australia. This is his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship”.
President Donald Trump praised Ahmed for his bravery as well.
“In Australia, as you’ve probably read, there’s been a very, very brave person who went and attacked frontally one of the shooters. He saved a lot of lives, a very brave person who is right now in the hospital, pretty seriously wounded. I have great respect for the man who did that.”
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