this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2025
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An asylum seeker intervened in the Bondi Beach terror attack but was shot at by police and attacked by members of the public.

New video footage from the scene shows the man climbing the stairs to the bridge where the two gunmen lay injured after being shot by police marksmen.

The member of the public is seen kicking a weapon away from the terrorists – but police continue firing at the bridge, causing the man to duck for cover.

As police close in on the injured gunmen, the refugee is then challenged by members of the public, who mistake him for a terrorist.

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[–] howl2@lemmy.zip 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Ahmed (hero #1) put the gun down almost immediately after wresting it from shooter #1, then got shot by shooter #2. Still was probably best he didn't hold onto it as police were moving in, as hero #2 quickly found out. But let's not miss the fact the public fought back en mass as they went after him thinking he was a shooter. That's some good stuff.

[–] ryannathans@aussie.zone 11 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Not to be confused with heroes -1 and 0 who were killed wrestling the gun from shooter 1 before anyone had been shot

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

no good deed goes unpunished.

[–] zr0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 week ago

Obviously they failed, which is why they are dead and not heroes.

/s

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

the refugee is then challenged by members of the public, who mistake him for a terrorist

Ooh I wonder that ethicity he was and what ethnicities the "members of the public" were.

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

One must understand that if they're going to take on a shooting perp that they are putting their life at risk, not just from the perpetrator but from the cops that will be responding or any witnesses will be there.

It is built into the process. You will risk your life. You may get shot for being a good Samaritan. By the police.

It happens.

[–] DancingBear@midwest.social 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

And You have to understand that Islamophobia is a serious problem.

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

It is. But it's not what I'm talking about. Multiple people in the US who were "good guy with a gun" have been killed by cops. Off the top of my head I can think of a black and a white guy. The cops don't care. If you have a gun out during an active shooter event and you are not clearly visible as law enforcement you will be shot. Race or religion will not be a factor.

Now if you get mobbed by civilians could very much depend on one's ethnic or religious presentation. But in America we don't tend to do the mobbing thing because despite all our brave words even the cops will sit outside for 45 minutes to make sure it's safe to go in.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

It happens.

With a much, much lower likelihood of it happening if the guy was white, I bet.

He got shot because he "looked" like a terrorist in the police/public's eyes, despite being the one fighting the terrorists.

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world -2 points 1 week ago

In America the rate is pretty distributed. But it's a very small sample size because most people don't get involved.

The number one thing that makes you look like a terrorist in a situation like this is holding a gun.

[–] tehsillz@lemmy.world -4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Anyone holding a gun during an active shooting is automatically a suspect in the few seconds it occurs.. I doubt it has anything to do with skin color.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

So why did the public mob the guy then? They saw him literally fighting the gunman and still assumed he's one of them? If it was a pale skinned blond guy they 100% would have believed him when he said he's trying to help, but because he's Middle Eastern they refused to see past the "terrorist" stereotype.

And if they didn't see him fighting the terrorist, that's worse. They attacked a random Middle Eastern guy assuming all of them are terrorists. Why didn't they go after any of the white people on the beach in the same way?