Donations surged within hours after a man who helped stop one of the attackers during the Bondi Beach terror attack was hospitalized with gunshot wounds, prompting an online fundraiser that quickly raised more than $1.7 million.
Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, was injured after confronting one of the gunmen during the attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney on Sunday. Video footage widely shared online shows Ahmed rushing toward an armed attacker and managing to disarm him. Ahmed had been in Bondi on Sunday, having coffee with his cousin, Jozay Alkanj. "He said, 'I’m going to die – please see my family [and tell them] that I went down to save people’s lives,'" Alkanji recounted his cousin saying before he tackled the shooter.
Ahmed came to Australia in 2006 from Syria. He owns a tobacco shop and is he father of two daughters ages five and six, per the Sydney Morning Herald. Sam Issa, Ahmed’s migration lawyer, said on Monday night, "He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again. But the pain has started to take a toll on him." Issa said that Ahmend may lose his left arm due to the injuries sustained. Issa said Ahmed has five bullet wounds.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched on Sunday to help cover medical expenses and provide financial support during his recovery. The fundraiser was organized by Canadian influencer Zachery Dereniowski and automotive company Car Hub Australia, who said the effort was created to support someone who acted “when it mattered most.”
The organizers said they initially contributed $50,000 to start the campaign. Within 24 hours, donations exceeded $1.7 million from more than 16,000 contributors. The largest single donation, $99,999, was made by US hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.
The shooting left at least 15 people dead, including a 10-year-old girl. More than 40 others were hospitalized with injuries. Authorities said the attack specifically targeted a Jewish Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach.
Police identified the attackers as father and son Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24. Officials said Naveed had been on a security watchlist since 2019 due to suspected ties to the Islamic State terror group, though intelligence agencies said he was not considered an immediate threat. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation confirmed he was “known” to authorities. Authorities confirmed Sajid Akram entered Australia in 1998 on a student visa before transitioning to a partner visa. His son was born in Australia.
Investigators said the pair arrived at Bondi Beach armed with rifles and explosives. An Islamic State flag was also recovered from their vehicle. Sajid Akram was shot and killed by police during a shootout after the attack had already been underway for roughly 10 minutes. Naveed Akram was wounded, taken into custody, and remains hospitalized under police guard.
Officials said the family believed the two had gone on a weekend scuba diving trip. Their home in the Sydney suburb of Bonnyrigg was later searched by police.
