Neuroscientists, psychologists and ‘have-a-go heroes’ themselves explain why it is about more than just instinct
As a knife-wielding terrorist wearing a fake suicide belt caused panic on London Bridge in 2019, Darryn Frost remembers entering a state of intense focus.
Having grabbed a decorative narwhal tusk from the wall of Fishmongers’ Hall, the formerly shy civil servant zoned in on the danger and ran towards it, helping pin the attacker to the ground.
It is unclear why Frost went from bystander to “have-a-go hero”, much like Ahmed al-Ahmed, who wrestled a gun off one of the attackers on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.
For Frost, 44, the answer is neither simple nor instinctive. He has spoken to Steven Gallant, who was on day release from prison when he used a chair to help bring down the attacker, Usman Khan, who had killed two people. “He said he reacted on instinct, whereas I was thinking about every action and consequence of it,” Frost said.
