{"id":381023,"date":"2025-12-30T19:35:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T19:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/381023\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T19:35:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T19:35:14","slug":"ahmed-al-ahmed-bondi-hero-who-tackled-gunman-speaks-about-heroism-in-first-televised-interview-since-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/381023\/","title":{"rendered":"Ahmed al-Ahmed: Bondi hero who tackled gunman speaks about heroism in first televised interview since attack"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ahmed al-Ahmed, the man who courageously tackled and disarmed one of the Bondi Beach gunmen, has spoken about his heroic act in his first televised interview since the horrific attack on December 14.<\/p>\n

The 43-year-old Syrian-Australian bravely intervened as two shooters opened fire on a Chanukah by the Sea celebration, killing 15 innocent people.<\/p>\n

He has since been released from St George Hospital in Sydney\u2019s southeast, where he was receiving treatment for five gunshot wounds sustained during the massacre.<\/p>\n

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Two weeks later, and recovering from multiple surgeries, Mr Ahmed has opened up about the moment he confronted the gunman.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being\u2019s life and not killing innocent people,\u201d he told CBS News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I saved lots, but I feel sorry still for the lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HisHis extraordinary actions have been one of the few shining lights in a dark day for Australia. Credit: The Nightly<\/p>\n

Footage of Mr Ahmed leaping from the side of a vehicle and wrestling a weapon from one of the shooters quickly went viral on social media across the world following the attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cI jumped on his back, hit him. I hold him with my right hand and start saying a word, you know, like to warn him, \u2018drop your gun, stop doing what you\u2019re doing\u2019, and it\u2019s come all in fast,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n

When asked what propelled him to throw himself in the face of danger, Mr Ahmed said he didn\u2019t want to see \u201cpeople killed in front\u201d of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmotionally, I\u2019m doing something, which is I feel something, a power in my body, my brain…I don\u2019t want to hear his gun, I don\u2019t want to see people screaming and begging, asking for help, and that\u2019s my soul asking me to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything in my heart, in my brain, everything, it\u2019s worked just to manage to save the people\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HeroHero bystander Ahmed al Ahmed is helped after being shot. Credit: Unknown\/Supplied<\/p>\n

Last week, Mr Ahmed was handed a cheque for $2.5 million for his heroism after a GoFundMe campaign received more than 44,000 donations.<\/p>\n

He was in his hospital bed when popular online personality Zachery Dereniowski visited to deliver him the news after the world rallied and donated to the hero who saved countless lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cI deserve it?\u201d he asked as he was handed the cheque.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery penny,\u201d Dereniowski responded.<\/p>\n

Mr Ahmed also received visits from NSW Premier Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who both thanked the \u201creal-life hero\u201d for his actions.<\/p>\n

\"BondiBondi hero Ahmed al Ahmed has been visited in hospital by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was trying to get a cup of coffee and found himself at a moment where people were being shot in front of him,\u201d Mr Albanese said after his visit.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe decided to take action, and his bravery is an inspiration for all Australians. He is a very humble man.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a moment where we have seen evil perpetrated, he shines out as an example of the strength of humanity. We are a brave country. Ahmed al-Ahmed represents the best of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Albanese announced last week that a special honours list that will recognise the heroes of the Bondi terror attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday I\u2019ve written to the Governor-General requesting the creation of a special honours list in response to this horrific terrorist attack,\u201d Mr Albanese announced from Canberra on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

He said it would form part of the Australian honours and awards system.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis would recognise those individuals nominated and recommended for a bravery or a meritorious award in response to the Bondi terrorist attack.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ahmed al-Ahmed, the man who courageously tackled and disarmed one of the Bondi Beach gunmen, has spoken about…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":381024,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[63,43,44,41,39,42,40],"class_list":{"0":"post-381023","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-australia","9":"tag-headlines","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-top-news","12":"tag-top-stories","13":"tag-topnews","14":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=381023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/381024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=381023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=381023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=381023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}