An Australian man who was filmed stomping on the head of one of the suspects after the Bondi Beach mass shooting has said he feels no remorse for his actions. Jacob Barnfield described his response as instinctive,
saying it reflected the anger and shock felt by many who witnessed the aftermath of the attack.
The shooting, which took place during a Hanukkah gathering at Bondi Beach, left 15 people dead and around 40 injured. Hundreds of Jewish families had gathered at the popular beach when gunfire broke out, triggering scenes of panic and horror.
‘Something every Australian wanted to do’
Speaking to ‘The Sun’, Barnfield said his actions came from raw emotion after seeing the devastation around him. “What I did is something every Australian wanted to do,” he said.
He admitted he struck the suspect forcefully but felt it was justified given what had just happened. “People were just stomping on his head. I got a pretty good shot on his head as well, but it was well deserved considering the circumstances,” he said.
Barnfield said the sight of dead bodies and injured children removed any sense of restraint.
Recalling the moment, Barnfield said fear for his own safety never crossed his mind. “You don’t think about danger when you’re running past kids bleeding out and families screaming,” he said. “People had organs exposed. It was fight or flight.”
He acknowledged that his actions were violent but stood by them. “It was a bit of a dog shot, but I don’t regret it at all. He deserved every bit,” he said.
Barnfield was among several members of the public who confronted the two accused attackers, identified as 24-year-old Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid, after the shooting.
Footage captures chaos
Video footage circulating online shows Barnfield running shirtless across a concrete footbridge before stomping on the head of one of the suspects. In the clip, he can be heard shouting as others restrain the accused man.
It remains unclear which of the two suspects was attacked in the footage. Police have not commented on whether bystanders will face any action over their conduct during the chaos.
Man stomps on Bondi shooter's head. Someone buy him endless beers! 🇦🇺pic.twitter.com/YCshIO8vEX
— Peter Lloyd (@Suffragent_) December 14, 2025 " rel="nofollow">http://Man stomps on Bondi shooter's head. Someone buy him endless beers! 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/YCshIO8vEX
— Peter Lloyd (@Suffragent_) December 14, 2025
Another bystander, Ahmed al Ahmed, also praised
While Barnfield’s actions have divided opinion, another bystander has been widely praised for preventing further bloodshed.
Social media footage shows an unarmed man tackling one of the gunmen from behind. The man is seen taking cover behind parked cars before sprinting towards the attacker, restraining him by the neck, disarming him and pinning him to the ground.
The rifle is then turned away from the crowd, preventing further shots.
The man was later identified as 43-year-old fruit seller Ahmed al Ahmed. Reports say he suffered two gunshot wounds during the attack.
Many have described his actions as heroic, saying they likely saved several lives. As investigations continue, the Bondi Beach shooting has left Australia grappling with grief, anger and difficult questions about violence, courage and justice in moments of extreme crisis.
