Paul Mauro praised Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old Muslim bystander, for disarming a shooter during a Hanukkah attack in Australia and for showing restraint despite being wounded. Mauro, a former NYPD inspector, said the rescuer’s faith was an important nuance and recalled Muslim colleagues’ roles in counter-terrorism work. Authorities report that a father-and-son pair killed at least 15 people and injured dozens.
Fox Analyst Praises Muslim Bystander Who Disarmed Shooter During Deadly Hanukkah Attack
Fox News legal analyst Paul Mauro praised Ahmed al Ahmed, the 43-year-old Muslim bystander who intervened and disarmed one of the attackers during a Sunday evening terror attack on Hanukkah celebrants in Australia. Mauro made the remarks on Monday's America’s Newsroom after anchor Dana Perino asked him to describe the rescuer’s bravery.
“You see these things where bystanders just step up in the most unexpected ways,” Mauro said. “You can’t ignore that nuance. And that came out fairly early, and I think that that was an important fact to get out from the media.”
Mauro highlighted both the courage and the restraint shown by Ahmed al Ahmed. He noted that, while under many jurisdictions — including New York law — the use of lethal force might be considered justified given the apparent danger, Ahmed did not fatally shoot the primary attacker. Mauro added that Ahmed later sustained two gunshot wounds, to his hand and his arm, while helping others.
The former NYPD inspector also referenced a prior post on X in which he described how Muslim officers and civilians were critical sources of expertise during his counter-terrorism work, saying that their contributions were repeatedly valuable.
Attack Toll and Context
Australian authorities say the two gunmen — a father and a son — killed at least 15 people and injured dozens during the assault on Hanukkah celebrants. Mauro’s comments emphasized both the individual bravery of the intervening bystander and the broader significance, in his view, of recognizing the rescuer’s faith in the narrative that followed the attack.
Ahmed al Ahmed’s actions have been widely reported as an act of civilian heroism, and discussions since the attack have touched on themes of interfaith solidarity, restraint under fire, and the contributions of diverse communities to public safety.
