Sydney
\nBondi Beach shooting hero Ahmed al Ahmed recalled the moment he ran towards one of the attackers and wrestled the gun from him, saying in an interview published Monday with a US outlet he wanted to protect \u201cinnocent people\u201d.
\nFather and son Sajid and Naveed Akram are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on Sydney\u2019s Bondi Beach on December 14, killing 15 people and wounding dozens in what authorities have described as an anti-Semitic terrorist attack.
\nDespite the tragedy, tales of heroism emerged of those who tried to stop the two gunmen during their deadly rampage.
\nAmong them was Ahmed al Ahmed, a fruit seller, who went viral for ducking between parked cars as the shooting unfolded and then wresting a gun from one of the assailants.
\n\u201cMy target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being\u2019s life and not killing innocent people,\u201d he told CBS News in an interview that airs on Monday.
\n\u201cI know I saved lots, but I feel sorry for the lost.\u201d
\nAhmed was shot several times in the shoulder after tussling with one of the gunmen and underwent several rounds of surgery.
\nHe recalled the moment he \u201cjumped\u201d on the gunman\u2019s back, holding him with his right hand and said: \u201cDrop your gun, stop doing what you\u2019re doing\u201d.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t want to see people killed in front of me, I don\u2019t want to see blood, I don\u2019t want to hear his gun, I don\u2019t want to see people screaming and begging, asking for help,\u201d Ahmed told the television network.
\nAhmed was at the beach getting a cup of coffee when the shooting occurred.
\nThe father of two emigrated to Australia from Syria in 2007; his uncle Mohammed, a farmer, had told AFP in Ahmed\u2019s hometown of Al-Nayrab days after the shooting.
\n\u201cHis act is a source of pride for us and for Syria,\u201d Mohammed said.
\nThe Australian government has fast-tracked and granted a number of visas for Ahmed\u2019s family, local media reported.
\n\u201cAhmed has shown the courage and values we want in Australia,\u201d Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sydney Bondi Beach shooting hero Ahmed al Ahmed recalled the moment he ran towards one of the attackers and wrestled the gun from him, saying in an interview published Monday with a US outlet he wanted to protect \u201cinnocent people\u201d. Father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":522887,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-522873","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n