The mother of one of the Bondi Beach gunmen has insisted her son is a “good boy” following the massacre which left 16 people dead.
Police identified Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father as the two men who opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney.
Akram remains in a critical condition in hospital, while his father was shot dead by police at the scene.
The 24-year-old is believed to be from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s south-west.
Police identified Naveed Akram, 24, as one of the gunmen who opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney
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SUPPLIEDHis family’s suburban home, which they have owned for around a year, was raided by officers in the aftermath of the attack.
As police swarmed the property, Akram’s mother, Verena, expressed disbelief that her son could carry out such a massacre, insisting he is a “good boy”.
She told the Sydney Morning Herald: “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.
His family’s suburban home was raided by officers in the aftermath of the attack
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REUTERS
“Anyone would wish to have a son like my son…he’s a good boy.”
The father and son told relatives they were heading off on a weekend fishing trip to Jersey Bay, around 124 miles from Sydney.
Akram’s mother said she had spoken to him just hours before the massacre on Sunday morning.
Verena said: “He rings me up [on Sunday] and said, Mum, I just went for a swim. I went scuba diving.
BONDI BEACH MASSACRE – READ THE LATEST:
The incident took place on a bridge near Bondi Beach | GETTY“We’re going … to eat now, and then this morning, and we’re going to stay home now because it’s very hot.”
Verena said Akram had plenty of friends when he attended Cabramatta High School but tended to keep to himself, spending much of his time on scuba diving, fishing and swimming.
She is a stay-at-home mother to Akram and his two siblings and also looks after her elderly mother.
Bonnyrigg, where the family lives, is known for its large migrant community, particularly Chinese and Vietnamese residents.
New South Wales Police confirmed Bondi Beach will remain closed on Monday
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REUTERS
Social media posts indicate Akram studied religious studies at the Al-Murad Islamic Institute, completing his course in 2022, which has sparked questions over possible radicalisation.
The 24-year-old had worked as a bricklayer before his company went bankrupt and had been searching for employment in recent weeks.
New South Wales Police confirmed Bondi Beach will remain closed on Monday.
A statement read: “Bondi Beach and surrounding roads in the Bondi area will be closed today as investigators continue to work through the crime scene.
“Aircrafts including drones are prohibited from flying over the crime scene.”
