Australia is in mourning after a terrorist attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach left fifteen people dead and dozens injured, marking the nation's second-deadliest mass shooting. The incident unfolded on Sunday night when two gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating Hanukkah.
Heroic Attempts to Stop the Attack
In the terrifying initial moments of the assault, two individuals identified one of the gunmen and courageously attempted to disarm him. Tragically, both were shot and killed during their brave intervention. A photograph circulating on social media shows a man collapsing onto the road beside the attacker, Sajid Akram, while clutching a firearm he had just wrestled from him, with a woman standing nearby.
"Many people may not realise that at the very start of the attack, two individuals identified the gunman and courageously tried to disarm him," a social media user wrote. "They were heroes who stepped forward despite the danger." An eyewitness to the struggle echoed this sentiment, stating, "We saw him bravely try to disarm this evil terrorist. His family should know he was trying to save lives."
Eyewitness Accounts and a Second Hero
Local resident Jenny described the chaotic scene to the Xiaoxiang Morning Post, initially mistaking the gunshots for fireworks. "I was stunned. Everyone else was running away," she said. Jenny witnessed an older man, believed to be in his 70s or 80s, rush and tackle Sajid Akram as he exited a vehicle, managing to grab his long firearm.
Another hero, Ahmed Al-Ahmed, a 43-year-old Syrian-born father of two, confronted and disarmed Sajid Akram later in the attack. Video footage shows Mr Al-Ahmed grabbing the gunman from behind and wrestling away his rifle. He lifted the weapon, pointing it toward Akram without firing, before placing it against a tree. Mr Al-Ahmed was subsequently shot in the shoulder and arm and remains hospitalised at St George Hospital.
Victims and Aftermath
Police allege that Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, stood on a footbridge at the eastern-suburbs beach and opened fire. Sajid Akram was shot dead at the scene by police, while Naveed Akram was taken to hospital under police guard with critical injuries.
Of the fifteen victims, nine have been identified. They include:
- The youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda.
- British-born Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41.
- French national Dan Elkayam, 27.
- Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman.
- Husband and father Tibor Weitzen.
- Synagogue assistant Reuven Morrison.
- Slovak citizen Marika Pogany, 82.
- Retired NSW Police detective sergeant Peter Meagher.
The attack has left a deep scar, with twelve people still in critical condition and another twenty-six receiving treatment across seven Sydney hospitals. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he plans to meet hero Ahmed Al-Ahmed, calling him a hero whose bravery "needs to be recognised." The attack has also put UK counter-terror police on alert for potential copycat incidents.
