Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met the Bondi Beach hero, who risked his life to disarm a suspected gunman, involved in killing over 15 people during a Jewish festival celebration on Sunday, December 14. Ahmed al-Ahmed had been admitted to a hospital after he received gunshots during his confrontation with a shooter.
As Ahmed recovered from injuries, PM Albanese reached the hospital to meet and conduct his health review. He praised Ahmed as “the best of our country”. The 44-year-old Bondi hero snatched the shooter's assault rifle and pushed him to the ground as per the viral videos on social media and saving multiple lives in Sydney.
"Ahmed, you are an Australian hero. You put yourself at risk to save others, running towards danger on Bondi Beach and disarming a terrorist. In the worst of times, we see the best of Australians. And that's exactly what we saw on Sunday night. On behalf of every Australian, I say thank you," Albanese wrote on X while sharing a video of a hospital where he is holding the hand of Ahmed on the bed.
Meanwhile, TRT World, a Turkish news broadcaster, shared a video of Ahmed being taken on a stretcher in the hospital while he sent prayers to supporters and thanked the Almighty for saving his life.
“I appreciate the efforts of everyone,” he said in Arabic. “May Allah reward you and grant you well-being. God willing, we will return to you with joy. Thank you for your efforts. “I went through a very difficult phase, only Allah knows it … I ask my mother, the apple of my eye, to pray for me.”
The governor general, Sam Mostyn, visited the Syrian-born shopkeeper on Tuesday afternoon at St George's Hospital in Sydney’s south, where he had undergone surgery on two gunshot wounds. She thanked him on behalf of the public and King Charles, who she said had specifically asked after the man overnight.
Also Read | Bondi Beach Shooting: Gunmen Identified as Father-Son; 16 Killed at Jewish Celebration in Sydney.
The Bondi Beach attack began at around 6.45 pm during the Jewish festival Hanukkah celebration, when two suspect gunmen opened fire at the public from the footbridge, killing at least 15 people. Ahmed confronted one of the attackers, who was the father of another gunman, and snatched his assault rifle away; this way, he believed to had saved several others.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Ahmed, Albanese said the hero's actions reflected the values of the nation and sent a powerful message of unity in the face of terror.
"We are a brave country. Ahmad al-Ahmad represents the best of our country," Albanese said. "We will not allow this country to be divided. That is what the terrorists seek. We will unite, we will embrace each other and we'll get through this."
Who Is Ahmed al-Ahmed?
Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim who arrived in Australia in 2006 and was granted citizenship in 2022 after an earlier application was refused due to minor legal charges that were later dropped. Ahmed sustained multiple injuries on his left arm during a tackle, with one bullet lodged in his left shoulder.
His lawyer, Sam Issa, expressed concern that Ahmed may lose his left hand due to multiple injuries. However, 44-year-old Ahmed told Isa that he would do it again as he doesn't regret what he did. Isa told The Age, after visiting Ahmed at St George Hospital in Kogarah. "He said he'd do it again. But the pain has started to take a toll on him. He's not well at all. He's riddled with bullets. Our hero is struggling at the moment," the lawyer added.