A brave man has been praised internationally for risking his life to stop one of the gunmen who attacked a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
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Australian media identified the man as Ahmed al-Ahmad, 43, after footage showed him sneaking up on one of the two gunmen, tackling him and taking the gun away, Fox News reported.
The footage shows the main character, a local fruit shop owner who was reportedly visiting a friend when the deadly attack unfolded, pointing a gun at the attacker, but he reportedly did not fire.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called Mr Al Ahmad a “true hero”, and others agreed.
“That guy is a real hero,” Minns said. “And I have no doubt that there are so many people alive tonight because of his courage.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also praised those like Mr Al Ahmad who stepped up to help in strong ways. He thanked “everyday Australians who do not hesitate to put themselves at risk to keep their fellow citizens safe”.
Albanons thanked brave people like Al Ahmad for saving their lives.
Al-Ahmad, a Muslim, was shot in the shoulder and hand during the heroic act by a second gunman who had targeted his moment of bravery, according to the New York Post.
He required surgery, but his family said they hope he makes a full recovery. Surprisingly, he reportedly had no experience handling weapons before the incident, but still performed the surprising act.
“He’s in the hospital, but we don’t know exactly what’s going on inside,” a cousin named Mustafa told 7News. “We wish him well. He is 100% a hero.”
The man’s father also told the BBC that his son had acted out of concern for others.
“Ahmed was driven by his emotions, his conscience and his humanity,” he said.
Al-Ahmad’s uncle, who lives in Syria, added: “He made us, our village, Syria, all Muslims and the whole world proud.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised al-Ahmad’s bravery, calling it “the pinnacle of heroism.”
He later added additional information to this declaration, as noted by the Times of Israel.
“We saw the actions of a brave man…a brave Muslim,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said. “And we salute him for stopping one of the terrorists from murdering an innocent Jew.”
Authorities report that a father, 50, and son, 24, carried out the horrific terrorist attack, which left at least 15 people dead.
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