Bondi Beach hero praised as theory emerges over why he didn't fire weapon at alleged shooter
The Bondi Beach hero has rightly earned praise from across the world for his incredible life-saving actions during last weekend's terrorist incident in Australia.
Ahmed al Ahmed, 44, was close to the attacks at one of Australia's most iconic beaches on Sunday, 14 December, when he risked his life to try and save others.
After making a defiant comment, which he believed would be his last, the Syrian-born shop owner launched himself at one of the alleged shooters before successfully disarming him.
The viral footage saw Ahmed apprehend the gunman and point his own weapon back at him while he was on the ground, before laying it down against a tree after the attacker had fled.
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It was soon seen across the world with Donald Trump labelling him as 'very brave', while he's also been visited by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who praised him as a national hero.
Although he suffered some serious wounds of his own after taking two gunshots to his arm, which may potentially need to be amputated, he is currently in a stable condition in hospital.
Once he leaves, his incredible bravery will be rewarded as thanks in part to billionaire businessman Bill Ackman, a fundraiser has been set up in his honour, raising well into the millions in just two days.
While the alleged shooter, Sajid Akram, who was disarmed by Ahmed in the video, was later shot and killed at the scene, many were perhaps left wondering why the civilian didn't pull the trigger himself as he stood over him.
Former Australian Federal Police officer Dr John Coyne has now praised the father-of-two not just for his initial bravery in saving lives, but also the humanity he showed by not shooting the defenceless gunman, proving himself to be a far better man than the killers in the process.
He said: "It's not like the movies. This is a guy who literally sacrificed, or was willing to sacrifice, himself to save lives.
"To take another life where there was no immediate danger to his own, that would have been a terribly difficult split-second decision.
"I think it shows a deep humanity to not do that, to not be caught in the emotions. He made real decisions and I take my hat off to him."
He suggests that someone who was trained probably wouldn't have shot the gunman, especially as he lay on the ground unarmed.
"It didn't look like Mr Al-Ahmed was familiar with a firearm," he added.
"It looked like he was someone who saw a chance that he could stop something horrible from happening, who gave no thought.
"And if you look at the way he moved, he gave no thought to his own personal safety beyond, 'how do I get this gun off this person?' It is truly inspiring."
James Moorhouse