Footage taken from nearby buildings shows the two assailants walking calmly across a white footbridge from Campbell Parade toward the celebrations, firing methodically towards the crowd.
“All of a sudden, it’s absolute chaos,” said Arsen Ostrovsky, a Jewish leader who was struck in the head. “There’s guns, fire everywhere, people ducking. We didn’t know what was happening or where the gunfire was coming from.
“I saw blood gushing in front of me. People were hit and falling to the ground. My only concern was: where are my kids, where’s my wife, where’s my family?”
Arsen Ostrovsky, a lawyer who lived in Israel until recently, was left bleeding heavily after the shootings
Another witness attending a Bar Mitzvah said people began screaming and ushering children indoors. “There were lots of kids crying. It was really horrible.”
Across the water on a headland, bystanders could only watch and run. Mike Ortiz, 30, filmed crowds sprinting toward him. “It happened so fast,” he said. “We heard gunshots and immediately everyone was running. Children were crying, people screaming.”
Closer to the scene, victims and survivors hid behind palm trees, cars and walls. Others lay bloodied on the ground as sirens wailed and police raced to the area. In nearby cafes and restaurants, diners hid under tables as venues went into lockdown, while lifeguards pulled swimmers from the water amid the panic.
Footage shows an extraordinary act of bravery when a bystander tackled and disarmed one of the alleged shooters. Wearing a white T-shirt, the man is seen hiding behind a parked car before lunging at the gunman and wrestling the firearm away.
After a brief struggle, he points the weapon at the attacker, who falls backwards and crawls away. People can be heard shouting, “Get back, get back,” as gunfire continues.
The hero bystander who disarmed one of the gunmen was identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, a local greengrocer and 43-year-old father of two
Moments later, the disarmed gunman is seen retreating to the bridge, where he rejoins his accomplice and picks up another rifle. The pair take cover behind the bridge wall and resume firing.
The moment both gunmen were firing from the bridge
Two members of the public, including the man who had tackled the shooter, attempt to shelter behind a tree. The bystander is later seen clutching his injured arm.
Drone footage taken later shows the two assailants lying face down on the bridge, surrounded by spent cartridges, firearms and backpacks, as police officers move in.
- Additional reporting, news.com.au
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