More than $1million has been raised for the hero who was wounded while disarming the alleged gunman during the Bondi Beach massacre.
Before his act of bravery, Ahmed el Ahmed told his cousin, ‘I’m going to die… tell my family I saved people’s lives’.
Incredible footage captured the moment the 43-year-old father of two, sprang on the shooter after he opened fire on Sunday night.
The suspects in the shooting, Sajid and Naveed Akram, a father and son, are believed to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, according to ABC News.
The Syrian-born fruit shop owner’s heroism has earned praise from Australia and beyond and came at a significant personal cost, landing him in hospital with two gunshot wounds to his shoulder.
The stakes were not lost on Mr Ahmed, who, seconds before approaching the alleged gunman, told his cousin Jozay Alkanj he was going to die.
‘He said ‘I’m going to die, please see my family and tell them that I went down to save people’s lives’,’ Mr Alkanj recounted outside hospital on Monday morning, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Things might have turned out differently had the pair decided to join the revellers at the Hanukkah event, who offered them food as they passed by before the shooting began.
‘We needed a coffee,’ Mr Alkanj said. ‘It was then just ten minutes before this happened like that. It was very crazy, we went behind the cars, we were seeing that people were shooting very near to us.’
Moments later, Mr Ahmed was filmed creeping through the car park along Campbell Parade, hiding behind parked cars for cover as he made his way towards the alleged shooter.
The Bondi Beach hero, Ahmed el Ahmed, has been photographed in hospital with New South Wales premier, Chris Minns
Pictured is father-of-two Ahmed el Ahmed, who put his life on the line to wrestle a firearm from one of the two alleged shooters at Bondi Beach
Heart-stopping footage captured the moment Mr Ahmed (pictured in a white shirt) wrestled a gun from the alleged shooter before turning it against him
Matilda, 10, died overnight after she was wounded during the attack
Once within close enough range, he sprinted towards the alleged gunman, finally wrestling the firearm from his clutches following a prolonged tussle.
The alleged gunman, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, then fell backward towards the ground as Mr Ahmed lifted the rifle, aiming its barrel towards the disarmed shooter.
Akram then backed away as Mr Ahmed rested the firearm against a tree before a second bystander rushed the shooter and threw an object at him.
The altercation took place in view of the second alleged gunman, Akram’s 24-year-old son, Naveed, who looked on from a nearby footbridge, gun in hand.
Naveed was rushed to hospital under police guard with critical injuries, while his father was shot and killed by police at the scene.
The unbelievable footage has circulated widely online, prompting a GoFundMe campaign to be launched to raise funds for the hero, who remains under observation in hospital.
The campaign has so far raised more than $1million across more than 18,000 donations – including $100,000 from US billionaire Bill Ackman.
New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns visited the hero at the hospital and praised him for his actions. He said: ‘There is no doubt that more lives would have been lost if not for Ahmed’s selfless courage.’
At least 16 people were killed in Sunday night’s mass shooting, including a ten-year-old girl, with dozens more left seriously injured.
A screengrab showing the moment a bystander tackled an alleged gunman
Naveed Akram was rushed to the hospital under police guard in critical condition after the attack
Beloved father Tibor Weitzen, left, has been identified as one of the 15 victims of the attack
