Bondi Beach terror attack: Man who ran toward shooting to try and help fights for life

WARNING: Distressing content.

A man who moved towards the Bondi gunman instead of fleeing remains fighting for his life after being shot.

Gefen Bitton, 30, had been referred to as the ‘man in a red T-shirt’ after he was seen in footage from Sunday’s attack near the footbridge running to help Ahmed Al Ahmed as he disarmed alleged gunman Sajid Akram.

Bitton, an Israeli national who has been working in Australia for about three years as a garage door technician, was attending the Chanukah by the Sea event, his friend Tom Cohen told 7NEWS.com.au.

He had been looking forward to watching the ceremonial lighting of the menorah when the shooting began.

As gunfire rang out, another friend of Bitton’s stood up and ran, but seconds later realised the 30-year-old was not with him.

Moments later his sister in Israel then received a phone call from Bitton saying he had been shot.

She alerted his friends in Sydney, who began desperately searching for him, before eventually finding him at St Vincent’s Hospital, initially listed as an unidentified patient.

He remains in intensive care after undergoing multiple surgeries.

In the days that followed, friends recognised Bitton in footage that showed him attempting to help, but was allegedly shot by Naveed Akram.

Friends believe Bitton’s decision to run back toward the bridge also explains why his phone and keys were later found closer to the gunman than where he had been sitting moments earlier.

Another friend, Cayli Barr, said Bitton’s decision was something “most of us couldn’t even imagine”.

“Gefen had escaped, he was safe, but when he saw the terrorist, he ran into the line of fire to help,” Barr wrote in a GoFundMe page set up to support Bitton.

“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.

“Now in the ICU, Gefen’s put his own life at risk with his selfless actions.

“He ran into the face of danger like only a hero does, guided by the values on which he was educated and raised.”

Bitton’s father has since flown from overseas to Sydney to be by his son’s bedside, as friends and family keep vigil at the hospital.

Five days on, he remains in intensive care, unresponsive, and has undergone five surgeries, Cohen said.

He was shot in the lower abdomen near the hip, shattering his pelvic bone.

Bone fragments caused severe internal injuries, and doctors required three to four operations to stop the internal bleeding.

Cohen said it is unclear whether Bitton will regain full use of his leg, and that the road to recovery will be long.

“He’s like the most spiritual guy ever,” Cohen said, describing Bitton as “super brave and super unique”.

“He loves people and always turns words into action.

“He’s such a good soul and he didn’t deserve it. Nobody deserved it, but literally, he was such a good guy to everybody.”

Bitton and Al Ahmed are among several civilians who attempted to intervene as the attack unfolded, with others also stepping toward danger in an effort to protect those around them.

Boris and Sofia Gurman were killed after trying to disarm Sajid Akram before he reached the footbridge, while Reuven Morrison was fatally shot after throwing a brick at the gunman.

Fifteen people were killed in Sunday’s terrorist attack, with dozens more injured.