A man hailed as a hero for running towards the Bondi Junction gunman, instead of fleeing to safety, is fighting for his life in a Sydney hospital after being shot multiple times.
A Selfless Act in the Face of Terror
Gefen Bitton, a 30-year-old Israeli national, had been enjoying the Chanukah by the Sea event last Sunday, looking forward to the ceremonial lighting of the menorah. When gunfire erupted, chaos ensued. While others ran, Bitton made a fateful decision. He moved towards the footbridge, rushing to the aid of Ahmed Al Ahmed as he attempted to disarm the alleged gunman, Sajid Akram.
Footage from the attack initially identified Bitton only as the ‘man in a red T-shirt’. His friend, Tom Cohen, told 7NEWS.com.au that Bitton, a garage door technician who had been living in Australia for about three years, was with friends when the shooting began. One friend ran, quickly realising Bitton was not following.
"Most of us Israeli men have served in the army, and I think that’s one of the reasons he tried to get the gun during this terrorist attack," Cohen said.
A Desperate Search and Critical Injuries
Moments after the confrontation, Bitton managed to call his sister in Israel to tell her he had been shot. She alerted his friends in Sydney, who began a desperate search. They eventually found him at St Vincent’s Hospital, where he was initially listed as an unidentified patient.
Bitton was shot three times. One bullet struck him in the lower abdomen near the hip, shattering his pelvic bone. Bone fragments caused severe internal injuries, requiring multiple surgeries—three to four operations just to stop the internal bleeding. Five days after the attack, he remains in intensive care, unresponsive, and has undergone five surgeries in total.
Cohen said the road to recovery will be long, and it is unclear if Bitton will regain full use of his leg. His father has flown from overseas to be by his son's bedside as friends and family keep vigil.
The Mind of a Hero
Friends believe Bitton's instinct to help explains why his phone and keys were found closer to the gunman than to where he had been sitting. On a GoFundMe page set up to support him, friend Cayli Barr wrote that Bitton had escaped and was safe, but chose to run back.
"When he saw the terrorist, he ran into the line of fire to help," Barr wrote. "He made the decision to put himself at risk to save the lives of others. As Ahmad Al Ahmad heroically jumped on the terrorist, Gefen ran in alongside to confront the terrorist. There, he was shot, fell to the ground, and shot again."
Barr described his actions as those "guided by the values on which he was educated and raised." Cohen added, "He’s like the most spiritual guy ever... super brave and super unique. He loves people and always turns words into action."
Bitton and Al Ahmed were among several brave civilians who intervened during the attack, which claimed 15 lives and injured dozens. Boris and Sofia Gurman were killed trying to disarm the gunman before he reached the footbridge, and Reuven Morrison was fatally shot after throwing a brick.
As Sydney continues to mourn, the story of Gefen Bitton stands as a stark reminder of the extraordinary courage displayed by ordinary people in the city's darkest hour.
