Light in the darkness: Report from Australia’s deadliest shooting

Editorial Note: While this piece was originally penned in December, the insights within remain remarkably relevant. We are pulling this from the vault because the lessons are timeless and deserve a place in today’s conversation.

On Sunday December 14^th, 2025, was the first night of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday often called the Festival of Lights. In celebration of the starting of this holiday, around 1,000 people joined together at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, dancing, banging drums and enjoying themselves. Only a couple hours later would that event be named Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in 30 years leaving 15 people dead, including one of the gunmen.

According to CNN, the suspects are 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was killed exchanging gunfire with police; and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who is in custody at the hospital.

This shooting was a horrible event that took place and a tragedy for all those affected. However, I would like to highlight the people who tried to stop this attack and chose not to be a bystander.

The two elderly bystanders Boris and Sofia Gurman who tried to disarm one of the attackers before the initial attack happened but were unfortunately killed doing so. A 62-year-old grandfather, Reuven Morrison, who died hurling bricks at the gunmen. Lastly, the hero who survived after courageously wrestling the gun off the shooter, the one who was able to save many more people from a lifetime of heartbreak, his name is Ahmed Al-Ahmed. He is a 44-year-old Syrian Muslim man, a father of two daughters, and a local shop owner who is now in hospital after he was shot twice, and he is recovering.

No matter the religion, or background, if human beings are being attacked then it is up to us to stand together and help out in every way we can. The heroes that tried their very best, fighting and doing everything they could, until the end, are a representation of true humanity. All in all, we should keep the individuals that have passed away, their families, and everyone affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.