Bill Ackman donates nearly $100,000 to Ahmed al Ahmed GoFundMe, praises hero who disarmed Bondi attacker

Billionaire Bill Ackman has donated almost $100,000 to the GoFundMe campaign launched for Ahmed al Ahmed, the hero who tackled the Bondi Beach mass shooter.

Ahmed, a fruit shop owner, was in the vicinity when a shooter opened fire on a Jewish celebration and tackled him from behind before snatching his rifle and striking him to the ground, as per Reuters. Ahmed sustained two bullet wounds, one to his arm and one to his hand, in the scuffle. The hero is currently recovering in the hospital after receiving surgery for his injuries, his family told Reuters.

A GoFundMe launched for Ahmed al Ahmed has raised almost $850,000

A verified GoFundMe campaign was established to help Ahmed al Ahmed through his recovery and to express gratitude for the hero who selflessly intervened to stop a mass shooting. As of the time of writing this article, numerous community members have made donations totaling nearly $850,000.

This is Ahmed Al Ahmed. He is a 43 year old man and owner of a fruit shop in Sutherland, Australia.

Today, he disarmed a terrorist targeting a Hanukkah celebration, already having killed 12 people and injured more thwn 60.

Ahmed is a hero and saved many more lives. pic.twitter.com/4L0pALeiAa

— Montana Tucker (@montanatucker) December 14, 2025

The target of the fundraiser is to raise $1 million. The page outlined its intention to support Ahmed:

“After witnessing the extraordinary actions of the hero who helped disarm one of the attackers during the Bondi tragedy, an act that prevented the loss of countless more lives, we felt compelled to act. In a moment of chaos and danger, he stepped forward without hesitation. His actions were selfless, instinctive, and undeniably heroic, taken without regard for his own safety. Early reports indicate he was shot twice in the process while protecting others.”

While expressing gratitude to Ahmed and proclaiming his bravery, the note attached to the campaign, started by Car Hub Australia and an individual named Zachery Dereniowski, added,

“This GoFundMe has been created to show our gratitude and support for someone who demonstrated incredible courage when it mattered most. To kick things off and lead by example, we are making an initial donation of $50,000 to honour this absolute hero and help support him through recovery, and the lasting impact of this traumatic event.”

According to News.com.au, the shooter was identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who carried out the attack with help from his 24-year-old son, Naveed. After Sajid was tackled by Ahmed, the two men rushed away from the scene.

Ahmed was also praised by President Donald Trump, who said that he had “great respect” for the hero who helped cut the horrific attack short.

Bill Ackman, a hedge fund billionaire, made one of the top donations to Ahmed al Ahmed’s GoFundMe campaign

Billionaire Bill Ackman is one of the top contributors to the fundraiser, having donated $99,999. Ackman also shared a link to the campaign on his X page and confirmed that all donations made to the page will be directly received by Ahmed.

This is the verified link for the Bondi hero. I am told by @gofundme that the funds will only be released directly to the hero. https://t.co/2sc5Z1Vut1

— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) December 14, 2025

Ackman is the founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, a hedge fund that manages approximately $20 billion in assets, according to Forbes. The publication notes that Ackman’s net worth is around $9.5 billion. The billionaire’s company has previously contributed around $500 million to causes such as Human Rights Watch, Teach For America and Innocence Project, according to Forbes.

According to Fortune, Ackman also called Ahmed “a brave hero,” and said that Pershing Square Capital Management will be launching a reward program for individuals who selflessly carry out brave acts, just like Ahmed.

Ackman is known for his philanthropic contributions to GoFundMe campaigns. He previously donated to a campaign launched to fund Ed Bambas, an 88-year-old veteran’s retirement, just a few days ago. At the time, it could not be immediately confirmed whether billionaire Ackman made the donation, as the contribution was made under the name William Ackman.