Bondi Beach hero Ahmed Al-Ahmed honored at NYC Chabad gala

Ahmed Al-Ahmed was honored at a Colel Chabad gala in Midtown Manhattan after tackling an armed attacker at a Bondi Beach Hanukkah event; he said he was 'doing his duty' and was shot five times in the Dec. 14 incident that authorities report killed 15 and wounded 40.

Ahmed Al-Ahmed was honored Wednesday at a Colel Chabad gala in Midtown Manhattan, where attendees gave him a standing ovation. He described his actions at a Dec. 14 Bondi Beach Hanukkah event as fulfilling his "duty as a human being." The 43-year-old Syrian refugee was wounded during the incident, and he traveled to New York to meet with Jewish community leaders. Key details: - The gala was hosted by Colel Chabad, and Rabbi Yehoram Ulman of the Chabad of Bondi brought Al-Ahmed to the stage; some attendees at the event had lost loved ones in the Bondi Beach attack. - Al-Ahmed said he sneaked behind a shotgun-wielding attacker, wrestled the weapon away and pointed it at the gunman; he was shot five times and is reported to have lost some use of his fingers. Doctors reportedly told him recovery could take one to two months. - Authorities reported that two attackers, described as a father and son, opened fire at the Bondi Beach gathering on Dec. 14, killing 15 people and wounding 40 others. - Al-Ahmed was wearing a yarmulke at the gala and visited the Ohel Chabad Lubavitch gravesite of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson while in New York. - Attendees, including people who lost friends and family in the attack, expressed gratitude toward Al-Ahmed and embraced him at the event. Summary: Al-Ahmed's appearance at the gala underscored community recognition after the Dec. 14 Bondi Beach attack and highlighted public gratitude for his actions during the shooting. He remains in recovery from gunshot wounds and said doctors expect one to two months for improvement. Undetermined at this time.