Bondi Beach shooting: One of the wealthiest billionaires vows to reward Hanukkah hero

Ahmed al Ahmed was seen disarming one of the alleged attackers in a video that has gone viral after the deadly Hanukkah shooting

The hero has been named as 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, a Sydney local who owns a fruit shop in Sutherland. (Image: Instagram)

One of the world’s wealthiest individuals has pledged to reward the brave individual who disarmed one of the attackers at Bondi Beach.

Emergency services were summoned to Bondi Beach around 6.40pm local time on Sunday, 14 December, following reports of a shooting in a public place. Officers from the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command, nearby commands and specialist police promptly responded, finding two men firing into crowds.

Several officers engaged in a shootout with the two men, resulting in a constable and a probationary constable sustaining gunshot wounds. During the incident, one shooter – a 50 year old man – was shot by police and died at the scene.

The other shooter – Naveed Akram, 24, believed to be his son – suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard.

The pair are alleged to have opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah event just before 7pm on Sunday, tragically killing at least 16 innocent people and injuring an additional 40.

Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, has been identified by family members as the man seen battling one of the terrorists in a video that has been widely shared on social media.

In the footage, Mr Ahmed can be seen wearing a white T-shirt, crouching behind a car before leaping onto the back of the gunman and wresting the rifle from him. The terrorist retreats in a car park area as Mr Ahmed aims the shotgun at him.

Police officers stand along a security cordon at a crime scene at Bondi Beach (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Following the viral footage of Ahmed al Ahmed, Jewish investment banker Bill Ackman, who is worth more than $9.5 billion, expressed his desire to reward the father-of-two fruit shop owner.

He took to social media and wrote: “Can someone please set up a verified so we can reward him and his family.”

Mr Ahmad’s family have confirmed that he remains in hospital where he has undergone surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and hand.

Bill Ackman, Founder and CEO, Pershing Square Capital Management speaks about higher education and Harvard University during at the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

A significant crime scene has been established, resulting in the closure of Bondi Beach and surrounding roads, while detectives from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team have begun an investigation into the incident.

After initial inquiries, detectives have found and seized three firearms from the scene, all of which will undergo forensic examination.

The investigation continues.