Bondi shooting hero bystander draws near $2 million in donations

Flowers and candles placed near the site of the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.

A gofundme page for the bystander who tackled and disarmed one of the Bondi Beach shooters is nearing $2 million after his bravery won praise from US President Donald Trump and hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman.

Extraordinary footage of the man’s actions began circulating on social media on Sunday, shortly after two men, later identified as a father and son, started shooting into a crowd gathered to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah. Fifteen people were killed in the massacre, the worst terrorist attack in Australia’s history. The older shooter was also shot dead by police.

The bystander was identified as Ahmed Al Ahmed, a 43-year-old father-of-two from south Sydney, who arrived in Australia from Syria in 2006, according to local media reports. He sustained four to five gunshot wounds and is expected to undergo “multiple” rounds of surgery, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Tuesday.

In the mobile-phone video that caught the act of bravery, one of the attackers is standing near a tree and firing. A few meters away, a crouched man emerges from behind a parked car. He grabs the shooter from behind and wrestles the weapon from his hands.

Ahmed was soon lauded for his feat. Trump said Sunday that he had saved many lives and expressed “great respect” for him. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also praised Ahmed, and other bystanders who helped treat victims in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

“People rushing towards danger to show the best of the Australian character,” Albanese told reporters Monday. “That’s who we are, people who stand up for our values.”

New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns visited Ahmed in the hospital on Monday, calling him a “real-life hero,” adding more lives would have been lost if not for his “selfless bravery.”

Pershing Square Capital Management’s founder Ackman called Ahmed “a brave hero” and said his hedge fund firm would establish a reward program for people who had carried out similar acts. The top donor to the gofundme page is listed as William Ackman, who gave $99,999.

More than 33,000 people have contributed to the fundraiser, which was sitting at $1.94 million at 11.30 a.m. Sydney time Tuesday.