Two elderly bystanders who tried to wrestle a rifle from one of the Bondi Beach terrorists have been hailed as heroes, after images emerged showing them confronting the gunman just moments before they were shot dead.
Fifteen people were killed, and dozens were injured on Sunday night when Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, allegedly opened fire on crowds gathered for the “Hanukkah by the Sea” celebration near Campbell Parade in Bondi.
Police allege the pair positioned themselves on a footbridge overlooking the beach and began shooting into the crowd of families and children marking the first night of the Jewish festival.
A photograph circulating on social media now shows a man falling to the road beside Sajid Akram, grappling for control of the gun the attacker had been wielding. A woman stands close by, just metres from the assailant’s vehicle.
“Many people may not know that at the very beginning of the incident, two individuals were among the first to identify the gunman and bravely attempted to disarm him,” one post said.
“Tragically, they were shot and killed in the process. They were heroes too. They stepped forward in the face of extreme danger.”
A second image taken later shows the pair lying motionless on the ground near the car, as emergency services swarm the scene.
‘He is a hero’
Witnesses have described the desperate early struggle with the gunman as a crucial moment that likely saved lives by disrupting his attack.
“We saw this man heroically try to disarm this evil terrorist. His family needs to know he was trying to save lives. He is a hero,” one witness wrote.
Another local witness, identified only as Jenny, told Chinese outlet Xiaoxiang Morning Post that she initially thought she was hearing fireworks as she parked her car near the bridge.
“I was stunned at the time,” she said. “Looking back on this scene afterward, I was deeply shocked, because everyone was running away at the time.”
Jenny said she saw Sajid get out of a car before being rushed by an older man — whom she estimated to be in his 70s or 80s — who tackled him and snatched away the long gun. A thin, older woman was behind the man as he lunged at the attacker, she said.
When she then saw shots being fired from the footbridge, Jenny fled towards the beach to collect her family and drove them home.
“I’ve lived in Australia for over 20 years, and I can say this is the most horrific attack Australia has ever suffered since its founding,” she said.
Father-of-two tackled gunman under fire
Among those critically injured on Sunday night was 43-year-old tobacconist owner Ahmed Al-Ahmed, who has also been widely praised for confronting one of the attackers.
Dramatic footage shows Mr Al-Ahmed grabbing Sajid Akram from behind and wrestling away his firearm. The gunman falls backwards to the ground as Mr Al-Ahmed lifts the rifle and points it towards him but does not fire.
Akram retreats as Mr Al-Ahmed props the weapon against a tree. A second bystander throws an object at the shooter as he backs away. All of this unfolds while Naveed Akram allegedly stands on the footbridge above with a gun in hand.
Mr Al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born father of two young daughters, was shot in the shoulder and arm as he sought cover behind the tree. He remains in St George Hospital in a serious condition.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he intends to visit Mr Al-Ahmed when possible, after NSW Premier Chris Minns met him in hospital.
“I spoke to the premier after he visited; he told me he’s a great character, and he asked about whether I’d be visiting him – he’s a hero,” Mr Albanese said, hinting that official recognition may follow. “His bravery needs to be recognised.”
Innocent lives lost
Nine of the 15 victims have so far been publicly identified, including 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest killed in the attack.
Those confirmed dead also include:
- Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, a Bondi Chabad leader who recently helped organise a memorial for the Jewish emissaries murdered in the 2008 Mumbai attacks
- Dan Elkayam, 27, a French national
- Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman
- Tibor Weitzen, a beloved husband and father
- Reuven Morrison, an assistant at the Wellington Street synagogue
- Marika Pogany, 82, a visitor from Slovakia
- Retired NSW Police detective sergeant Peter Meagher
Twelve people remain in a critical condition, and another 26 are being treated in seven Sydney hospitals for injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to crush injuries sustained in the stampede to escape.
One of the alleged gunmen, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene. His son Naveed was critically injured and remains in the hospital under guard.
A community in grief — and looking for its heroes
Flags across Australia have been lowered to half-mast as the country observes one of the deadliest mass shootings in its history. Bondi Beach, usually a symbol of sun and surf, has become the focal point of national mourning.
Jewish community leaders have spoken of deep fear and anger, but also of gratitude for the bystanders who ran towards danger.
For many, the newly surfaced images of the unidentified man and woman confronting the gunman — and the now-familiar footage of Ahmed Al-Ahmed wrestling away a rifle — have come to symbolise that courage.
Police are yet to formally confirm the identities of the couple seen in the early photographs. Friends and community members have begun sharing tributes online, calling for their bravery to be recognised alongside that of first responders.
As floral tributes continue to grow along Campbell Parade and on the sand, the families of those who stepped forward in the first moments of terror are being told one simple truth by strangers and leaders alike: they died trying to save others.
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