Camera captures incredible moment Bondi gunman is tackled by 'hero' in civilian clothes

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/bondi-shooter-tackled-and-disarmed-by-possible-civilian/106141690

Dramatic footage shows a man, wearing a light blue shirt and black pants, crouching behind a parked vehicle near one of the Bondi Beach gunmen before disarming him during the terror attack.

150 points · 23 comments · view on lemmy.world

23 Comments

drunkpostdisaster@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 243d (3 replies)

Why is hero in quotes?

macarthur_park@lemmy.world · 45 pts · 243d

I’m guessing because it was a quote from the NSW Premier who praised the guy. Putting it in quotes makes it clear the news outlet isn’t labeling him a hero (which would be editorializing) and is instead quoting someone else (news reporting).

It feels a little silly in this situation where any reasonable person would label the guy a hero, but it is standard journalistic practice.

truthfultemporarily@feddit.org · 9 pts · 243d

Direct quotes get put into.. quotes.

teslasaur@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 243d

Ask abc. It was taken from the title, but it seems to have been changed.

Quilotoa@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 243d

Who's taking the pictures?

SirMaple__@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 243d
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amanneedsamaid@sopuli.xyz · -31 pts · 243d (17 replies)

First of all the civilian is a hero; but assuming I had the balls to disarm him and knew how to operate his gun (and it wasn't out of rounds), why wouldn't you shoot the guy?

comrade_twisty@feddit.org · 63 pts · 243d (1 reply)

Most normal people have a hard time taking another human life.

lemmylommy@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 243d

Besides, he could be mistaken for one of the gunmen if he started shooting.

gdog05@lemmy.world · 37 pts · 243d

He was disarmed at that point with a gun on him. Maybe the bystander didn't want to become a murderer himself.

blackbearjesus27@lemmy.world · 35 pts · 243d

Because some people aren’t fucking murderers and prefer to see this guy get what’s coming to him through the bounds of the law?

Everything is not a western.

Rhaedas@fedia.io · 18 pts · 243d (7 replies)

Lots of reasons. A counter question would be, except out of rage and adrenaline, why would you shoot him?

Steve@startrek.website · 0 pts · 243d (6 replies)

Because he may still be armed? You know that he was willing to kill 5 seconds ago and no idea what other weapons he has

Rhaedas@fedia.io · 22 pts · 243d (2 replies)

"Just in case" doesn't seem great justification. Keep his gun, keep it on him. That doesn't mean you have to pull the trigger because of potentials. Granted, I didn't go to American police school, so maybe this is wrong...

MagicShel@lemmy.zip · 16 pts · 243d (1 reply)

100% do not keep his gun unless you want to get shot by a cop who doesn't know the situation and might shoot before understanding who is who because he thinks he is saving a civilian who is about to be executed.

Rhaedas@fedia.io · 2 pts · 243d

There is that point. How are AU police in deescalation?

amanneedsamaid@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 243d

Duh

DougHolland@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 243d (1 reply)

Sounds like cop logic — whatever leads to pulling a trigger.

Steve@startrek.website · 2 pts · 243d

Well, I am american.

TribblesBestFriend@startrek.website · 6 pts · 243d (2 replies)

Self defence laws don’t protect you in this situation

skeezix@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 243d (1 reply)

Americans here will have a hard time understanding that.

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 243d

Because this happens more than once a day in the US.

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 243d

Because he wanted the killing to stop. I know you watched this on a screen, but this isn't TV.

_haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 243d

Because they're disarmed and being detained at gunpoint? Unless they're still a threat, it's not really legal (in most places) or particularly moral to summarily execute a disarmed criminal.