Bondi Beach shooting hero's assault charges dropped by police

Ahmed al Ahmed, the man praised for disarming one of the gunmen in the December Bondi Beach shooting, saw the assault charges brought against him in June withdrawn by police on Wednesday. He had been charged with domestic unit communal assault, stalking and intimidation after an alleged incident with his father in March at a residence in southwest Sydney. Ahmed denied the allegations. In a Sydney court, prosecutors withdrew the charges after agreeing that Ahmed would comply with an apprehended domestic violence order for 12 months, limiting his contact with his father. Outside the courthouse, Ahmed, 44, told reporters he felt like a "free man" and hoped for "peace." His defence lawyer, Mohamed Sakr, said in court that "the bid prohibiting Ahmed from assaulting, threatening, stalking or intimidating his father had been accepted without admissions, according to national broadcaster ABC." Ahmed gained international attention last year after video emerged showing him tackling one of two gunmen who opened fire during a Jewish event at Bondi Beach, an attack in which 15 people were killed.