Deadly Shooting Shatters Festival Celebration
On Sunday evening at Archer Park in Bondi Beach, Australia, the joyful atmosphere of the seaside Hanukkah festival was shattered by gunfire. Hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate the first day of the Jewish festival of lights.
Suddenly, two heavily armed men — 24-year-old Naveed and his 50-year-old father Sajid — opened fire from a pedestrian overpass using military-grade weapons.
Australia rarely experiences large-scale shootings, making this incident the deadliest since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. 
So far, including one of the shooters, 16 people have died. Another 42 were hospitalized with various injuries. Among the victims, 14 died on the scene, and a 10-year-old child later passed away in the hospital.
Ahmad’s Brave Intervention
If not for the bravery of Mr. Ahmad, the casualties could have been far higher.
Ahmad, 43, a father of two, was casually walking in the park with his cousin when the shooting began. They had declined an invitation to join the festival parade. In hindsight, avoiding the crowd may have saved their lives.
Feeling hungry, the pair went to a nearby café for coffee. Within ten minutes, the gunfire erupted. Ahmad spotted Sajid, one of the shooters, not far ahead and made a life-changing decision.
Confronting the Shooter
According to his cousin, Ahmad told him: “I might die. Tell my family I acted to save others.”
Ahmad then cautiously approached the gunman, who was hiding behind a palm tree and aiming at the crowd. In a sudden move, Ahmad jumped from behind a car and tackled Sajid.
During the struggle, he managed to wrestle the gun from the shooter and pushed him to the ground. Ahmad then pointed the weapon at Sajid, forcing him to crawl back toward the bridge.
At this point, Ahmad realized he had been shot in the leg.
Controlling the Chaos
Ahmad then raised one hand, signaling to the police that he was not one of the attackers. Meanwhile, Naveed, the other gunman, continued firing from the bridge.
Police eventually engaged, controlling the scene. Both father and son were incapacitated, with one dying and the other injured, then arrested by law enforcement.
Ahmad Injured but Celebrated Online
During the confrontation, Ahmad was shot multiple times. Reports vary, citing two or up to five gunshot wounds. Despite his injuries, his heroism quickly went viral online.
Videos of Ahmad subduing the shooter circulated widely, prompting a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe. Within a day, donations reached nearly $1.4 million from over 23,000 contributors, including $100,000 from U.S. billionaire Bill Ackman.
Community and Government Praise
Ahmad’s family, while worried, expressed immense pride. His mother reportedly cried upon learning her son had saved countless lives.
The Prime Minister of Australia publicly thanked Ahmad, saying:
“Today we saw Australians rushing into danger to help others. These Australians are heroes. Their courage saved many lives.”
Mourning and Recovery
The following Monday, mourners gathered at Bondi Beach, leaving flowers and paying respects to the victims. Some wept, while others consoled one another.
The good news is Ahmad has stabilized. He remains in hospital and received a visit from Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales.
Ahmad’s courage has earned him worldwide admiration. His recovery is now the hope of many who witnessed his heroic act.
