A 14-year-old girl demonstrated extraordinary courage during the horrific terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach, taking a bullet while using her own body to protect two young children.
The Horror Unfolds at a Hanukkah Celebration
The attack occurred on Sunday, as the local Jewish community gathered to mark the first night of Hanukkah. Two gunmen, identified as Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, descended on the world-famous beach, opening fire on innocent people. The police have declared the incident a terror attack, confirming the gunmen specifically targeted the Jewish community. Tragically, 15 people were killed in the mass shooting.
A Teenager's Selfless Act of Bravery
The teenage girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was at the event with friends. She told 9News that she was at a petting zoo when the first gunshots rang out. While trying to hide, she witnessed a distressing scene: a mother, who had been shot in the head, crying out for someone to help her two toddlers.
"I knew what I had to do in that moment," the stoic teen recounted. Describing her immediate actions, she said, "I became a cave for them, like I jumped on top of them and I was hugging them and we were saying a lot of prayers." As she shielded the children, she was shot in the thigh.
Recovery and a Humble Response
Following the attack, the injured teenager was placed on a surfboard that served as a makeshift stretcher before being rushed to hospital. She spent four days receiving treatment for her injuries and has thankfully recovered.
Despite her quick thinking and selfless actions, which family friend Dovid Leider said she undertook "without thinking twice," the girl downplayed her heroism. "I'm not the hero. The Jewish people are the hero, everyone's a hero," she humbly stated. Leider, who travelled from Los Angeles to Sydney to support the family, described the girl as someone who is "always caring about other people before herself."
Gunman Naveed Akram has since woken from a coma and faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder. His father, Sajid Akram, was shot and killed by police at the scene. The community continues to mourn, with floral tributes left along the Bondi Beach promenade in memory of the victims.
