Panic gripped Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday evening after two gunmen opened fire around 6:30 pm (local time), sending people running for cover. Amid the chaos, an unarmed bystander showed extraordinary courage by overpowering one of the attackers, an act that has since gone viral on social media.
A 15-second video circulating online captures the dramatic moment. The footage shows the man initially taking cover behind parked cars before sprinting towards one of the gunmen, who was hiding behind a tree. From behind, the bystander grabs the attacker by the neck, wrestles him to the ground, and snatches away his rifle and fires several shots at the attacker. The gunman is seen lying flat as the brave civilian points the weapon back at him, preventing any further threat.
The attacker, though injured, managed to flee the scene as the rifle appeared to run out of ammunition. The man who subdued him then placed the weapon behind a tree. Moments later, other bystanders were seen throwing stones at the attacker and chasing him away.
Here's the video
Shooter identified as Naveed Akram
One of the alleged shooters in the deadly attacks at Bondi Beach in Sydney was Naveed Akram, according to a senior law enforcement official, as reported by ABC Australia news. Akram, a man from the city's south-west, was believed to have carried out an attack at the Australian iconic beach, packed with visitors on a busy weekend.
The Australian authorities said Akram's home in the suburb of Bonnyrigg was being raided by police on Sunday evening.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said that one of the shooters was known to authorities, but clarified that "the person that we know has very, very little knowledge to the police".
"So he's not someone that we would have automatically been looking at this time," he said.
Akram's driver's licence, recovered from the scene, identified him as 24 years old, with a date of birth of August 12, 2001.
According to his Facebook profile, reviewed by The Jerusalem Post, he studied at Central Queensland University in Sydney as well as Hamdard University in Islamabad. He also attended the Al Murad Institute, where he was described as a model student. His social media activity showed no indications of his beliefs or ideological leanings.
Bondi Beach terrorist attack
Two gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing at least 16 people in what Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described as an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation. At least 29 others were injured, including two police officers, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said.
One of the attackers was shot dead by police, while the second was arrested and remains in critical condition. Authorities said one of the gunmen was previously known to security agencies, though there had been no specific threat warning ahead of the attack. Police have not yet clarified which of the suspects was identified as Naveed.
Investigators also discovered suspicious items, including several improvised explosive devices, in a vehicle linked to one of the shooters, the Associated Press reported.
The shooting occurred shortly after 6:30 pm local time during the Chanukah by the Sea event, which had drawn hundreds of attendees, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The attack at one of Australia's most iconic beaches comes amid a surge in antisemitic incidents across the country over the past year, though authorities have not indicated any direct link between those incidents and Sunday’s shooting. It is the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in nearly three decades, in a nation known for its strict gun control laws.
Also Read: 16 killed in terrorist attack during Jewish event at Bondi Beach in Australia's Sydney | Video
Also Read: PM Modi condemns terrorist attack in Australia, says 'India has zero tolerance towards terrorism'