Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has revealed the terrifying moments he escaped the Bondi Beach terror attack in Sydney, while hailing fruit seller Ahmed al Ahmed for an act of courage he says most people — including himself — would never attempt.

At least 15 people were killed on Sunday when two gunmen, identified as a father and son, opened fire during a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach. The senior attacker, aged 50, was killed at the scene, while his 24-year-old son remains in critical condition in the hospital.

Vaughan, who was dining at a nearby restaurant when the shooting began, said chaos and confusion gripped the area as people scrambled for safety. “Being locked in a restaurant in Bondi was scary… now home safe,” Vaughan wrote on X, thanking emergency services and “the guy who confronted the terrorist.”

Speaking later to Piers Morgan, Vaughan’s voice carried a mix of shock, humility, and awe as he described the heroics of Ahmed al Ahmed, a local fruit seller who tackled and disarmed one of the shooters with his bare hands.

“I don’t think I would have done that,” Vaughan admitted. “Anyone is going to run away from that situation. That’s probably how most of us would react — to make sure we’re fine. But he ran, jumped on the back of someone with a gun, wrestled it off him, and didn’t even shoot him.”

Ahmed was shot twice during the struggle and is currently undergoing treatment in hospital. Despite his injuries, authorities believe his actions prevented further bloodshed.

“The bravery and calmness he showed… it’s unbelievable,” Vaughan said. “He had the gun, he put it down, and he got shot himself. I don’t know how many lives he saved — but he saved plenty.”

Vaughan also recounted the chilling uncertainty of those first moments. “I thought it was a shark attack at first,” he said. “Then a security guard told us someone had a gun and people were being held hostage. The doors were locked, and for a long time, we had no idea what was happening.”

Meanwhile, Australian Test captain Pat Cummins expressed solidarity with the Jewish community, calling the attack “absolutely devastating,” and urged people to donate blood for the victims.

As Bondi mourns, one name has emerged as a symbol of raw human courage — Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who ran towards gunfire when others ran away.