In a new a CBS interview, heroic bystander Ahmed al Ahmed gave his first account of the moment he confronted the Bondi terror attack shooter, grappling with him and taking away a shotgun after shots were fired at Jewish attendees of a Hanukkah event on December 14.
“My soul asked me to do that,” he shared.
“I jumped in his back, hit him and … hold him with my right hand and start to say a word like, you know, to warn him, ‘Drop your gun, stop doing what you’re doing’,” al Ahmed said.
In viral footage, al Ahmed can be seen appearing from between two parked cars at 6.45pm and grabbing Akram.
“Emotionally I’m doing something … I feel something, a power in my body, my brain and I don’t want to see people killed in front of me, I don’t want to see blood, I don’t want to hear his gun, I don’t want to see people screaming and begging, asking ‘help, help’.
“That’s my soul asked me to do that, and everything in my heart, and my brain, everything just worked, you know, to manage and to save the people’s life,” he said.
Al Ahmed, a 44-year-old tobacco shop owner, was having coffee with a friend near the beach when the attack began. He is still recovering from at least two gunshot wounds to his left arm.
Speaking to CBS correspondent Anna Coren with his arm in a sling, he said he was unconcerned about the second gunman, Sajid Akram’s son Naveed Akram, and focused solely on disarming the gunman closest to him.
“No, I wasn’t worried about anything,” he said. “I was just … my target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being life and not killing innocent people.”
When asked if he’s aware his actions saved countless lives, al Ahmed said: “I know I save lots of people’s life, innocent kids and woman and oldest and man. I know I saved lots but I feel sorry still for the lost.”
Al Ahmed has been widely praised as a national hero for his selfless actions, which forced Sajid Akram to retreat to a footbridge without a weapon after moving closer to the Hanukkah festival site.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said al Ahmed represented the best of Australia.
“He was trying to get a cup of coffee, simple as that, and found himself at a moment where people were being shot in front of him,” Albanese said. “He decided to take action, and his bravery is an inspiration for all Australians. He is a very humble man.”
World leaders including King Charles and Donald Trump also praised al Ahmed’s bravery. A GoFundMe page created to support his recovery has raised over $2.6 million at the time of writing.
The post ‘My Soul Asked Me To Do That’: Bondi Hero Ahmed al Ahmed Speaks Out In First Interview appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
