Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old alleged gunman accused of opening fire at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach along with his father Sajid Akhtar, killing 15 people, has been described as a “good boy” by his mother, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The father and son had reportedly told their family that they were heading for a fishing trip to Australia’s South Coast.
According to a Reuters report, Naveed was arrested at the scene, while his father, a fruit shop owner, was killed in a police faceoff, taking the overall death toll to 16.
Last Call Hours Before Shooting
Naveed’s mother, Verena, told the Sydney Morning Herald that her son had contacted the family just hours before the mass shooting on Sunday.
“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 we’re going to stay home now because it’s very hot’,” she said, adding that he told her he was in Jervis Bay with his father.
She said she could not believe her son was capable of violence or extremist activity.
“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. Anyone would wish to have a son like my son … he’s a good boy,” she told the newspaper.
Identity of Suspect
The 24-year-old assailant is a Pakistani national, according to unnamed US intelligence officials cited by CBS. CBS News said it had reviewed his New South Wales driver’s licence.
Albanese Condemns Attack as ‘Act of Antisemitism’
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described the shooting at Bondi Beach as “an act of pure evil” and said the country was mourning its dead by flying national flags at half-mast.
Albanese laid flowers at the entrance of the Bondi Pavilion, where the father-son duo allegedly opened fire.
“What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations,” news agency AFP quoted Albanese as saying at a press conference.
He added that flags across Australia would remain at half-mast on Monday as a mark of mourning.
