Bondi Beach Shooting: Amid the chaos and horror of the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney during the Jewish Hanukkah festival, one ordinary evening turned into an extraordinary act of courage. Amandeep Singh Bola, a New Zealand citizen of Punjabi-Sikh origin, emerged as an unexpected hero after confronting an armed attacker and helping restrain him before police fully secured the scene.
The violent incident, which left at least 16 people dead, unfolded while Amandeep was relaxing on Bondi Beach after attending a work Christmas gathering. The 34-year-old personal trainer was enjoying kebabs and watching the sunset when he heard loud bangs. Initially mistaking the sounds for fireworks, his confusion quickly turned to alarm as he saw crowds fleeing in panic.
Realising that something was terribly wrong, Amandeep ran toward the danger instead of away from it. Eyewitness accounts later revealed that the attackers were a father-son duo, identified as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram, who were firing at people on the beach and nearby areas.
“I just wanted to help—either stop one of them or assist anyone who needed it,” Amandeep later told international media. Despite knowing the risks, he moved toward a footbridge where one of the attackers was located. When police opened fire and Sajid was struck, Amandeep seized the moment.
Seeing the gunman still moving, he sprinted forward, tackled him to the ground, and kicked the weapon away. He then pinned Sajid down, restraining his arms to prevent any further attack. “I could feel his body weakening beneath me,” Amandeep later recalled, describing the tense moments as police rushed in to take control.
Just minutes earlier, he had been an unsuspecting bystander. Now, dressed in a white T-shirt and shorts, he was sitting on the back of an armed assailant, ensuring he could not move. Mobile phone footage later surfaced showing Amandeep holding the attacker down as officers handcuffed the second suspect, Naveed Akram.
Amandeep admitted that thoughts of his fiancée and family crossed his mind as he ran toward the gunfire. He reminded himself to stay focused and cautious, yet his instinct to protect others took over. Slowing his pace as he neared the bridge, he waited for the right moment to intervene once police had engaged the attacker.
“I saw the police shoot him, and that’s when I went in,” he explained. With the help of an officer, he kept a firm grip on the gunman until authorities fully secured the area.
As investigations continue, Amandeep Singh Bola’s bravery has drawn widespread admiration across Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. In a moment defined by fear and violence, his actions stood as a powerful reminder that courage can come from the most unexpected places.