The man whose courageous actions during Sunday’s deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, has captured global attention and has been identified as 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, a local fruit shop owner and father of two. Al Ahmed is now awake and recovering in an undisclosed hospital after being shot twice while tackling and disarming one of the attackers in what police have described as a terror attack at a Hanukkah event.
Video footage that circulated widely online which was also posted on Truth Live News Facebook page, @truthlivenewsinternational, shows al Ahmed, unarmed and dressed in a white shirt, rushing toward a gunman firing into crowds, tackling him from behind and wresting the rifle away, an act community leaders say likely saved many lives. During the confrontation he was shot by the second assailant. However, Australian officials have confirmed he is receiving treatment in critical but stabilizing condition.
The Sunday attack claimed at least 15 lives and injured dozens more, with authorities naming the shooters as a father-and-son duo involved in the horrific assault. One gunman was killed at the scene and the other was taken into custody after being critically wounded by police.
Within hours of the shooting, social media influencer MDMotivator launched a fundraising campaign to support al Ahmed, drawing widespread attention and contributions from around the world. The voluntary donation effort, hosted on a popular crowdfunding platform, quickly surpassed $1 million USD in under 24 hours, a testament to the global admiration for al Ahmed’s bravery.
Public figures and world leaders from Australia and abroad have hailed al Ahmed as a symbol of extraordinary courage and selflessness. Messages of solidarity continue to pour in, underscoring the powerful impact of one individual’s act of heroism in the face of violence and tragedy.