While Sunbathers Fled Danger, Widely-Shared Picture Shows Beach Patrol Running ‘All Out’ In the Direction of the Location.

Alexandra Ching, a lifelong resident of Bondi, has always considered the renowned coast as her own backyard. On a recent weekend night, she, similar to other local residents, detected pops ringing out around the community.

“We all thought the same, but I considered it was too light and there was nothing visible,” she explains. She left her home, she observed people “streaming up Bondi Road”. Their expressions they wore told her a crisis was unfolding.

As she stood on the avenue, talking to a couple who had hurried up the incline soaked, she became aware of someone coming up behind her. The person was a beach patrol officer, sprinting to Bondi barefoot from the neighbouring Tamarama beach – roughly 1.5km – while transporting a life-saving kit.

“I heard someone say ‘excuse me’, and turning my head I only caught a glimpse of this blur of blue,” she recounts. “He was zooming past. He was the only one running in the direction that all the others was trying to get away from, carrying that big kit and without footwear … He moved into something that undoubtedly every part of you would tell you to move in the reverse way.

“Without a second thought, but just totally pedal to the metal sprinting.”

A Powerful Moment of Bravery During Chaos

The photo that Ching snapped of the rescuer, now known to be Jackson Doolan, quickly spread as a prime example of acts of valour in the wake of the violent incident.

Andy Reid, a fellow lifeguard, explained that Doolan, referred to as “Jacko”, hurried from Tamarama beach to assist the rest of his team at Bondi, as well as to work with emergency personnel, law enforcement and medical teams caring for dozens of the injured.

Local Outpouring and Support

Doolan’s account was just one of many to come out of the community, with the lifeguard clubhouse next to the site of the attack serving as a makeshift hospital. Accounts show that fellow lifeguards were also seen helping out, for instance rushing into the ocean to assist people in distress.

In the days after the tragedy, messages of gratitude circulated widely. One post expressed thanks for the responders who exhibited that “compassion will always overcome darkness”.

The team of lifeguards issued a message, noting they were “still trying to comprehend what occurred”.

“We are grateful all for your thoughtful words and encouragement. We are touched by the care directed at our team,” the group wrote. “In time, we will recount our experiences in the belief that it supports those affected.”

Official Recognition

Waverley council, the governing body that employs many permanent beach safety officers, remarked that the crew rose to the occasion from the second the shooting started until late that nighttime.

“There have been so many powerful accounts, but the popular photo of Jackson Doolan, running from Tamarama to Bondi with a AED so he could help assist the injured is incredible,” said a council representative.

“Our lifeguards demonstrate dedication every day in ensuring our internationally renowned coastlines safe for visitors, but what we observed on that day should be commended.

“As we grieve and grapple with the atrocity of this heinous act of violence, I think it is important that we consider just how much good we have seen in the presence of such evil.”