Abdikina Ali-Hassarn moved to New Zealand from Somalia four years ago and was a regular attendee of the Linwood mosque, but now says he’ll never pray there again.
The 16-year old’s brother and father were both at the Linwood mosque during yesterday’s horrific shooting. He too would have been there, but was called in to work at the last minute, a call that could have saved his life.
“I know a lot of people in there,” he told 1 NEWS.
“If I wasn’t at work, I would have gone – but I went to work instead because they need me.
“I can’t even go to the mosque now, because I am so scared of it happening again.”
His mother was also caught up in the events at the Deans Avenue mosque, and is still traumatised by the attacks.
“She came here for peace and never thought this would happen. She couldn’t sleep last night she is still awake from yesterday,” Mr Ali-Hassarn said.
Mother Dahabo Nur Abdi saw two of her friends shot in front of her, her son describing the fear of returning to the mosque.
“If it continues like this, then she won’t go back. But if security gets higher up she will go but for now she wont go like this,” Mr Ali-Hassarn said.
“She usually walks outside around Hagley for excercise, but now she is scared to go out ’cause of her scarf and what she wears. She’s scared to go out and around.”
The family are now being supported by those who’ve travelled from Auckland, as Christchurch still reels from it’s darkest of days.
Source: 1 newsnow
