A dramatic confrontation inside a north London corner shop has been captured on CCTV, showing a shopper fighting back against an armed attacker after a gun was pulled on him.

The incident took place at a convenience store in Wood Green on March 1, with footage later shown in court revealing how Ali Unlu became involved in a violent struggle with 29-year-old Mustafa Bolat. Bolat entered the shop carrying a pistol before firing three shots in the direction of Unlu. Rather than retreating, Unlu immediately confronted him, grabbing at the gunman's arm and attempting to force the weapon away from himself.

The footage shows the pair grappling inside the shop, with the confrontation moving through the store and into displays of fruit. Unlu appears to strike Bolat with a bottle before the two men crash into boxes containing apples and pears and continue wrestling on the floor.

One of the shots was fired at extremely close range, with reports stating that the bullet passed just inches from Unlu's head. Despite the apparent danger, he continued to struggle with Bolat, eventually managing to gain control of the situation and prevent the gunman from successfully shooting him.

The prosecution described how Bolat pointed the gun towards Unlu during the confrontation.

Nicholas Alexander, prosecuting at the Old Bailey, said:

“Mustafa gets up and points the gun towards Mr Unlu, who instinctively puts his right arm out and pushes up Mustafa Bolat’s left arm holding the gun.

“The two continue to grapple with one another, falling into the refrigerated cabinet and then off towards the bottom of the screen.”

The struggle eventually ended with Bolat leaving the shop. As he walked away, Unlu could be seen throwing a bottle in his direction, while witnesses inside and around the shop contacted emergency services after hearing what appeared to be gunshots.

The extraordinary footage has since prompted a strong reaction online, with many people praising Unlu for confronting an armed attacker, although others questioned the danger involved in attempting to physically fight someone carrying a firearm.

One person wrote:

“This was mental!! Like WTF! This was more than bravery!”

Another commented:

“That guy is brave! Well done to him!”

A third person offered a more conflicted reaction, writing:

“The line between stupidity & bravery is SO thin. I rate it slyly but boy... if that went off..!”

The case has also raised questions about why the shooting happened in the first place.

Both Unlu and Bolat reportedly declined to assist police with their investigation, meaning the precise motivation for the attack remains unclear. Reports have described the incident as potentially connected to London's criminal underworld, but there has been no established public explanation confirming why Bolat targeted Unlu.

The shooting was initially treated as a serious attempted killing. Bolat was accused of attempting to murder Unlu after allegedly firing the three shots at him inside the shop. However, the case ultimately resulted in a different outcome at the Old Bailey. Bolat admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, but a jury cleared him of attempted murder as well as charges relating to possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Bolat admitted firing the shots but maintained that he had intended to frighten Unlu rather than kill him.

During the trial, he told jurors:

“I am not a monster, I am not an angel, I make mistakes like everyone else.

“I was stupid to commit a serious crime. I am not discrediting the crime I have committed, I am just making sure the jury is aware that I am not a killer.”

He was remanded in custody following the proceedings and is due to be sentenced on November 13.

The CCTV footage has since provided a detailed account of the terrifying moments inside the Wood Green shop, showing how an ordinary shopping trip suddenly turned into a potentially fatal confrontation, with the struggle unfolding among shop shelves, refrigerated cabinets and boxes of fruit. The case has also left questions unanswered, particularly over what prompted the attack and why the two men have chosen not to provide police with further information about their relationship or the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.

For those who have seen the footage, however, the most striking part of the incident remains Unlu's immediate reaction after the gun was drawn, as he chose to physically confront the armed man and fight to divert the weapon away from himself.