STORY: The parents of Ahmed al Ahmed, a Sydney resident who disarmed one of the attackers during the Bondi Beach mass shooting, praised their son's bravery, calling him a hero as he recovers from gunshot wounds in hospital on Monday (December 15).

“I am so proud of my son because he is a hero all around Australia and there isn’t a news agency that hasn’t shown the heroic work he did," said Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed.

"Allah will not hurt him because he was doing good,” added Ahmed's mother, Malakeh Hasan al Ahmed.

Australian police on Monday said a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son carried out the attack at a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday afternoon, killing 15 people in the country's worst mass shooting in almost 30 years.

Tributes to Ahmed have poured in from leaders both abroad and at home. U.S. President Donald Trump called Ahmed "a very, very brave person" who saved many lives. Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales state where Sydney is located, has hailed him "a genuine hero" and said the video was "the most unbelievable scene I've ever seen."

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Ahmed with just over A$200,000 ($132,900) raised in a few hours. Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was the largest donor, contributing A$99,999 and sharing the fundraiser on his X account.

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VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM PARENTS OF BONDI SHOOTING HERO AHMED AL AHMED

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (DECEMBER 15, 2025) (AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION - Broadcast: No use Australia.Digital: No use Australia / .com.auinternet sites / any internet site of any Australia based media organisations or mobile platforms / Australian NVO clients / smh.com.au / news.com.au)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FATHER OF MAN WHO TACKLED BONDI BEACH SHOOTER, MOHAMED FATEH AL AHMED, SAYING:

“He has a shop selling fruit and other produce”

REPORTER: “Has he been in Australia a long time?”

“He’s been here since 2006 and is an Australian citizen.”

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FATHER OF MAN WHO TACKLED BONDI BEACH SHOOTER, MOHAMED FATEH AL AHMED, SAYING:

“What happened was, he had lunch and left the house. His friend told him, "Let's go to... I don’t know the name of the suburb, what's the name of the place?"

REPORTER: “Bondi”

“Bondi, his friend said "Let's go have a cup of coffee." They arrived there and were confronted with the gunmen shooting and the terrorists. Their (my son and his friend’s) lives were in danger , he noticed one person not far from him hiding behind a tree with a weapon.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FATHER OF MAN WHO TACKLED BONDI BEACH SHOOTER, MOHAMED FATEH AL AHMED, SAYING:

“My son is a hero, he served with the police, and he has the impulse to protect people. When he saw these people on the ground covered in blood, his conscience and morals compelled him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon , he ( the terrorist) ran away. At the same moment, the armed man’s partner was standing on the bridge. I don't know the exact location because of the pictures that came out. it looks like he a sniper rifle and tried to kill him and shot him in his shoulder.”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FATHER OF MAN WHO TACKLED BONDI BEACH SHOOTER, MOHAMED FATEH AL AHMED, SAYING:

“I am so proud of my son because he is a hero all around Australia and there isn’t a news agency that hasn’t shown the heroic work he did. Even President Trump thanked him for his actions. The Australian Prime Minister wrote that he is a brave and heroic man and wished him a speedy recovery. He is a man who sacrificed his life and himself to save lives. Innocent souls were present at the scene”

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOTHER OF MAN WHO TACKLED BONDI BEACH SHOOTER, MALAKEH HASAN AL AHMED, SAYING:

“I don’t know all the details. They told me he was involved in an incident and that he was in hospital. You know how a mother feels when she hears that her son is involved in an incident. Then when I knew the details I became very proud that my son was helping people and having lives. Allah will not hurt him. Thank god, bullets in the hand and shoulder. Allah will not hurt him because he was doing good.”