A Sydney father-of-two is being praised as a hero after risking his life during a horrifying mass shooting at Bondi Beach. Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, a fruit shop owner from Sutherland with no firearms experience, stepped directly into danger to stop a gunman. He was shot twice and is recovering in hospital after surgery. His cousin Mustafa told 7News, “We do hope he will be fine. He’s a hero 100 per cent.”

Footage captured the moment Ahmed crouched behind a car as gunfire erupted in a Bondi Beach carpark. Wearing a white shirt, he waited for the right moment, then sprinted through parked cars and grabbed the shooter in a headlock from behind. After a struggle lasting only seconds, Ahmed wrestled the gun away and pointed it at the attacker as he backed off toward a nearby bridge. Despite a visible leg injury, Ahmed later placed the gun safely against a tree while bystanders rushed to help him.

A second gunman was seen on a raised bridge, firing at police and gesturing wildly for his disarmed partner to return. As the chaos continued, another man near Ahmed was shot. Police quickly flanked the bridge and shot the second attacker dead. The surviving gunman was taken into custody with injuries, while officers provided CPR and medical aid at the scene.

The shooting occurred during “Chanukah By The Sea,” a Jewish celebration near a children’s playground, at a time when the Bondi Christmas markets were also drawing crowds. Authorities believe the attack was targeted. In total, 12 people were killed and 29 hospitalized.

NSW Police said, “A police operation is ongoing after a public place shooting by two men at Bondi Beach earlier today,” adding that “an extensive crime scene has been established and inquiries are now underway.”