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Moment Bondi shooter tackled and disarmed by man in civilian clothes caught on camera

08:54 am on 15 December 2025

Lastest information from Bondi Beach shooting

The dramatic moment a man wearing civilian clothes tackles and manages to disarm one of the Bondi Beach shooters has been captured on camera.

Police say at least 16 people were killed in the shooting near a Jewish gathering at Sydney's Bondi Beach. One shooter was killed, while another is in custody.

The incredible footage shows the man, wearing a light blue shirt and black pants, crouching behind a parked vehicle near the gunman, who is facing away from him and firing his weapon.

The man was identified by local media as 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, Reuters reports. A family member told Australian media he was shot and had surgery for injuries to his arm and hand.

A man in civilian clothing pounces on the shooter. Photo: Supplied to ABC

Just after the gunman fires, the blue-shirted man comes from behind, throws his arms around the shooter, grappling with him as he attempts to grab the firearm.

There are a tense few seconds as the shooter holds onto the weapon, but the man then manages to force his knee into one of the shooter's legs, unbalancing him.

The person recording the vision gasps, and exclaims "oh my god" as the man in the blue shirt pulls the weapon out of the shooter's hands and pushes the gunman to the floor.

He then flips the weapon and points it at the shooter, who scrambles to his knees and turns to look at the blue-shirted man.

The man points the weapon at the now disarmed Bondi gunman. Photo: Supplied via ABC

Gunshots can be heard throughout the video, seemingly coming from a second shooter who is positioned on a nearby bridge.

Another bystander records the incident from a slightly different angle, showing another person wearing a red shirt running towards the blue-shirted man, seemingly to try to help, as a woman screams in the background, "no".

The blue-shirted man advances on the now disarmed shooter with the gun pointed in his direction as the second person drops to the ground.

The shooter scrambles to his feet and starts to walk away, turning back to look briefly at the blue-shirted man who is still pointing the gun at him.

The shooter appears to be wearing some kind of vest and a bag looped over his shoulders.

The blue-shirted man then holds up his hand in a wave, before gently placing the weapon against a tree.

The shooter, who has stopped behind a metal pole, remains watching the blue-shirted man.

Amazingly, a second person who also looks like a civilian runs into shot towards the now unarmed shooter and throws an object at him, as the shooter again starts to walk away.

The vision then pans to the bridge to show the second shooter continuing to fire while ducking for cover as another gunshot rings out.

He seems to gesture to his disarmed companion to return to the bridge.

The second gunman then returns fire before a second shot appears to hit the side of the bridge near where he's crouched.

The vision then pans back to the two men who took on the shooter, who are crouched behind a tree.

The second man, who threw the object at the shooter forcing him back towards the bridge, briefly picks up the gun but then grabs his wrist, seemingly injured.

He then backs away clasping his wrist, before stumbling and falling to the ground as another gunshot rings out.

One of the Bondi shooters fires from a bridge. Photo: Supplied via ABC

Moments later, a police officer approaches the man on the bridge.

Police have confirmed one of the gunmen was shot and died at the scene.

NSW Police say 16 people have died, and it has been declared a terrorist attack.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has described it as a "shocking event" which is "not common in Australia".

But he added that footage of the man disarming one of the shooters was "the most unbelievable scene I've ever seen".

"That man is a genuine hero, and I've got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery."

The two men crouch behind a tree as shots ring out. Photo: Supplied to ABC

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the event as an attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah.

"There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in this nation," Mr Albanese said.

"Let me be clear, we will eradicate it."

He also praised all civilians who tried to help as "heroes".

"We have seen Australians today run towards danger today to help others."

"'He's a hero' says cousin of man who tackled gunman

By Sophie Tanno, CNN

The bystander being hailed as a hero for tackling one of the gunmen has been undergoing surgery after being wounded in the attack, his cousin said.

The man was seen in footage widely circulated on social media wrestling a firearm from one of the shooters. He was shot and was taken to hospital for an operation, CNN affiliate 7News reported.

Speaking to 7News from outside a Sydney hospital, his cousin said he had been told by doctors his relative was "OK," and they would soon be allowed to go inside and visit him.

"He's a hero, 100 percent he's a hero," he said. "He has two shots, one in his arm here, and one in his hand."

The social media footage showed a bystander tackling and wrestling a firearm from one of the gunmen in the Bondi Beach mass shooting on Sunday. The man was later praised as a "genuine hero" by New South Wales State Premier Chris Minns.

In the full version of the video, after being disarmed by the bystander the shooter seems to reposition himself on a bridge, rearm and start firing again.

- ABC / CNN / Reuters