A man in his 40s saved several lives as he battled with one of the gunmen involved in the Boondi Beach attack in Sydney. A viral video shows an unarmed civilian holding a gunman by his neck, as he battled him and unarmed him. He later pointed the gun in the air, as the gunmen fell on the ground and walked away from him.
Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales, praised the man’s actions and said that it was the most unbelievable scene he had seen in his life. Several media houses now confirm that the man in the video is a 44-year-old fruit seller named Ahmed Al Ahmed. A close relative of Ahmed has further revealed that he was injured and hospitalised.
According to the authorities, over 15 people were killed by the gunmen. They were celebrating Hanukkah, a Jewish festival. At least 42 have been injured in the attack, as per initial reports. Several social media videos show two gunmen firing at a bridge leading to the beach.
Ahmed Al Ahmed’s cousin said that he acted out of conscience as he couldn’t see the people dying. Ahmed is currently admitted to St. George’s Hospital in Sydney, and he remains in stable but critical condition. The 44-year-old is a father of two girls and is now hailed across borders as a hero. He has already raised $A1.3m on a GoFundMe page within 24 hours.
Anthony Albanese also named the man during a press conference, and commended his efforts to save the innocents in the attack. Ahmed’s parents, talking to ABC News, said that their son was shot at least four to five times while fighting the gunmen, and doctors were afraid that he might lose his arm, but he is stable as of now. The world is praising his recovery after his courageous action was captured in a video, which is now being replayed across social media platforms.
