Ahmed Al Ahmed says online abuse has added to the effects of the Bondi Beach shooting, with nightmares and arm injuries still affecting him nearly a year after he intervened.
In an interview with Nine Network’s A Current Affair, Ahmed said online messages had hurt him more than the shooting. “It hurts a lot,” he said. He also described recurring nightmares and said he does not get enough sleep.
Ahmed said bullets have not been taken out of his left arm. He continues to experience pain and reported reduced feeling in one finger and limited movement in his elbow and hand.
The Independent reported that after worldwide coverage of his actions, Ahmed’s private life came under scrutiny and some family relationships worsened. The newspaper said two of his brothers were charged with attempted extortion in a case still before the courts. His father had accused Ahmed of assault but later withdrew the allegation, according to the report. Supporters raised money for Ahmed through an online campaign and gave it to him while he was hospitalized, The Independent reported.
On Dec. 14, 2025, Ahmed was in Bondi Beach for coffee when two attackers opened fire at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration. He said he moved toward one of the gunmen after hearing people scream and was shot several times in the arm. The Independent reported that 15 people were killed and dozens wounded. Eva Geller, 90, who was injured in the attack, later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to 16. EconoTimes previously covered Geller’s death and hospital care.
Ahmed’s intervention drew widespread praise, The Independent reported. He said he still thinks about those who died and wishes he had saved them. The newspaper also reported that he was unaware of the international attention while hospitalized.
