Verena, the mother of suspected gunman Naveed Akram, who was allegedly involved in the Bondi Beach shooting that killed 15 and injured others in Sydney on Sunday, expressed doubts that her son could be involved in any violent or extremist behavior, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. She reportedly described him as a good boy and said that anyone would be happy to have a son like him.
Verena told police Monday morning that her son had called her the day before. He said he was going swimming and diving, he mentioned food plans. She mentioned that he was unable to identify her son from a photograph taken at the scene of the incident
“He called me (on Sunday) and said, ‘Mum, I’ve just gone swimming. I’ve gone diving. We’re going … now to eat and then this morning and now we’re going to stay at home because it’s very hot,'” Naveed’s mother Verena said on Monday morning as police surrounded the family’s home in Bonnyrigg.
She added: “He doesn’t have a gun. He doesn’t even go out. He doesn’t mix with his 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 work out and that’s it”, noting that “everybody wishes they had a son like my son… he’s a good boy.”
Naveed and his father Sajid, another suspected shooter in the case, informed their family that they had been on a fishing trip in Jervis Bay over the weekend. Both were unemployed masons and fruit growers. CCTV footage from the billboard and Nine News shows Sajid, followed by Naveed, leaving 103 Brighton Avenue in Campsie at around 5.15pm on Sunday, shortly after the call.
Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed was also shot dead and remains in a critical condition in hospital. Naveed is reportedly showing signs of recovery.
(This is a developing story. More to come)
