At a Jewish holiday gathering on Sunday, a shocking event unfolded at Sydney's Bondi Beach. A bystander, seen in a viral video, took down an armed man. This man was part of a group that had already shot 12 people. The video shows the bystander, dressed in a white shirt, running up to the shooter in a dark shirt. He tackled the shooter from behind, grabbed the rifle, and pointed it back at the attacker. The shooter then lost his balance and moved away. The bystander put the gun down on the ground.
The video was shared widely on social media. People praised the bystander's bravery, saying he likely saved many lives. His identity is still unknown. One person on X said, "Australian hero (random civilian) wrestles gun off attacker and disarms him. Some people are brave and then some people are . . . whatever this is. " Another person wrote, "This Australian man saved countless lives by stripping the gun off one of the terrorists at Bondi beach. HERO. "
Reuters confirmed the video's authenticity by comparing it to other verified footage. The armed men in the video matched those seen in police footage. One suspected gunman was killed, and another was in critical condition. Police are investigating if a third gunman was involved.
Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, called the bystander's actions unbelievable. "A man walking up to a gunman who had fired on the community and single-handedly disarming him, putting his own life at risk to save the lives of countless other people, " he said. "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. "
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also praised the bystander. "These Australians are heroes and their bravery has saved lives, " he said at a press conference. The bystander's actions highlight the courage of ordinary people in extraordinary situations.
