From bystander to "Australian hero": Who is Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who tackled Sydney shooter?

New Delhi: It was a bystander who tackled, overpowered and disarmed one of the gunmen in the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney. Being hailed as an "Australian hero", the man -- Ahmed al Ahmed -- is recovering after undergoing surgery for gunshot wounds he sustained during the attack.

A footage has gone viral in which the unarmed 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed is seen tackling the gunman from behind as he opened fire on people.

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The video showed Ahmed hiding behind parked cars, running at the gunman, grabbing him by the neck and seizing his weapon, before turning it on him and forcing him to the ground. After the attacker falls to the ground, he points the weapon at him. His quick thinking and agile move apparently saved many lives.

Ahmed Al Ahmed has been identified as a fruit seller, who is a father of two. According to a local outlet 7News, he also suffered two gunshot wounds during the firing as Jewish people had gathered to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday evening. 7News also spoke to a man named Mustapha, who is believed to be Ahmed's cousin. "He is a hero, 100% he is a hero. He has two shots, one in his arm and one in his hand," he said.

Ahmed reportedly had no prior experience with firearms and was just passing by the area when he saw the gunmen and decided to intervene. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dubbed him as a "hero" as did others. Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales state, also called as "a genuine hero" and said the video was "the most unbelievable scene I've ever seen". "There are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery," Minns was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Australian authorities described the incident, in which 16 people were killed and dozens others injured, as a “terrorist” attack targeting the Jewish community. Police has confirmed that there were two known suspects. One is dead, while the other is in a life-threatening condition in hospital.