The two alleged gunmen who killed 15 people near Bondi Beach on Sunday have been named as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24. However, his mother has now spoken out with a shocking statement, insisting her son is a “good boy” and she doesn’t believe he did it.
16 people were killed and another 42 injured in the shooting on 14th December, which took place at Archer Park next to Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Police declared it as a terrorist attack on Jewish people as it was the first day of Hanukkah.
Both Sajid and Naveed Akram were captured on CCTV, but Navid’s mother Verena told the Sydney Morning Herald she believes her son couldn’t be involved in any violent or extremist crimes. She also couldn’t identify her son from a photo of the scene.
“He doesn’t have a firearm. He doesn’t even go out. He doesn’t mix around with friends. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t go to bad places… he goes to work, he comes home, he goes to exercise, and that’s it,” she said. “Anyone would wish to have a son like my son… he’s a good boy.”
Verena didn’t say anything about her husband. Naveed lives in Bonnyrigg with both of his parents, and his brother and sister, and is an unemployed bricklayer.
The mother claims they told her they were on a fishing trip together. However, CCTV footage shows the father and son leaving a rental property in Campsie at 5.15pm on Sunday. Shortly before, Naveed had called his mother and told her about their “fishing trip” plans.
Credit: SWNS
“He rings me up [on Sunday] and said, ‘Mum, I just went for a swim. I went scuba diving. We’re going to eat now, and then this morning, and we’re going to stay home now because it’s very hot’,” she said. Sajid was shot and killed by police at the scene. Naveed was also shot, but remains in hospital in a critical condition.
Australian TV personality Lauren Dunn was on Bondi Beach when the attack happened, and has recalled the horrifying scenes she witnessed.
“I heard these loud cracks, I honestly just thought it was a car backfiring or some kind of firework. Within five minutes there was police everywhere screaming at us to clear out as there was an active shooter,” she told BBC News. “That guy that was shooting was just shooting frantically into the crowd.”
The witness applauded local man Ahmed al Ahmed for saving so many people. The 43-year-old fruit shop owner and dad of two wrestled the gun out of a shooter’s hand, and has been hailed a “hero”.
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Featured image by: Xinhua/Shutterstock
