Bondi terror attack hero says he just wanted to ‘stop’ gunman

New South Wales state premier Chris Minns with Ahmed al Ahmed (@ChrisMinnsMP/PA)

A man hailed as a hero for tackling a gunman during Australia’s Bondi terror attack said he acted to stop more people from being killed.

Footage of Sydney shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed disarming gunman Sajid Akram before being wounded himself circulated worldwide.

Fifteen people died, and dozens more were injured when gunmen opened fire on a crowd of more than 1,000 celebrating Hanukkah in Bondi’s Archer Park on December 14.

One alleged gunman, Naveed Akram, faces 59 charges, while his father, Sajid, was shot dead by police at the scene.

People attend an event to mark Hanukkah and honour victims of a terrorist attack on December 14, which targeted a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney (Yui Mok/PA)

In an interview with CBS due to air on Monday, Mr Ahmed, who was shot four times after intervening, said he just wanted to save more lives.

“My target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being’s life and not killing innocent people,” he said.

“I know I saved lots, but I feel sorry for the lost.”

He described the moment he leapt onto the gunman’s back to wrestle the firearm away: “I jumped on his back, hit him. I hold him with my right hand and start saying a word, you know, like to warn him, drop your gun, stop doing what you’re doing, and it’s come all in fast.

“And emotionally, I’m doing something, which is I feel something, a power in my body, my brain … I don’t want to see people killed in front of me, I don’t want to hear his gun, I don’t want to see people screaming and begging, asking for help, and that’s my soul asking me to do that.”

Mr Ahmed’s parents told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he had been shot four to five times in the shoulder.

A GoFundMe campaign for the 43-year-old raised over 2.5 million Australian dollars (€1.43m), with donations from more than 40,000 people, including comedian Amy Schumer and billionaire Bill Ackman. 

The cheque was presented at his hospital bed by co-organiser Zachery Dereniowski.

Before Christmas, Australia announced it would establish an award for those like Mr Ahmed who confronted “the worst of evil” during the attack.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said: “This Christmas is a different one because of the anti-terror and the terrorist attack motivated by Isis and antisemitism.”