Social media hailed a bystander, who displayed an example of bravery by tackling and disarming a gunman who indiscriminately opened fire at Australia’s Bondi Beach on a Jewish holiday event, leaving 12 people shot dead.
Videos circulating on social media showed a man in a car park wearing a white shirt running up to a man in a dark shirt who is holding a rifle.
He then tackles the armed man from behind, wrenching the rifle from him with his hands before pointing the gun back at the man.
The video then shows the man in a dark shirt losing his footing, backing away towards a bridge where another shooter was located, while the bystander places the gun down on the ground.
The footage of the bystander’s actions spread quickly on social media as people praised the man for his bravery, saying his actions had potentially saved many lives. His identity was not immediately known.
Addressing a press conference, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the actions of Australians who had “run towards danger in order to help others.
“These Australians are heroes, and their bravery has saved lives,” he said.
Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales state, where Sydney is located, said it was the “most unbelievable scene I’ve ever seen”.
One suspected gunman was killed, and another was in a critical condition following the shooting, and police said they were investigating whether a third gunman was involved.
Police were investigating whether a third gunman was involved in the shooting, and a bomb-disposal unit was working on several suspected improvised explosive devices, Lanyon said.
Mike Burgess, a top Australian intelligence official, said one of the suspected attackers was known to authorities but had not been deemed an immediate threat.
— With additional information from Reuters
