- The first victim of the mosque mass shootings in New Zealand has been identified: 71-year-old Daoud Nabi.
- According to his son, Omar Nabi, he was killed while throwing himself in front of another worshipper.
- At least 48 other people were killed in the two shootings.
Daoud Nabi has been named as the first victim of the double mosque mass shootings that took place on Friday, March 15, in Christchurch, New Zealand.
He was 71 years old at the time of his death, and had emigrated to New Zealand in the 1980s from Afghanistan with his family, including his son, Omar Nabi, reported NBC News.
Nabi had been trying to get ahold of his father for hours, before he was told that his father had jumped in front of another worshipper and been shot. Early Saturday morning, he was told his father had died.
This makes him the first identified victim of the mass shooting, and one of at least 49 people killed from the Al Noor and Linwood mosques. The police have identified Australian national Brenton Tarrant as their primary suspect.
Nabi was a leader in his community, and ran the Afghan Association. He dedicated much of his life to helping refugees feel welcome in New Zealand. According to his son, he even welcomed refugees at the airport. "Whether you’re from Palestine, Iraq, Syria — he’s been the first person to hold his hand up,"Nabi told NBC News.
- Read more:
- What we know so far about Brenton Tarrant, the suspect in the New Zealand mosque shootings
- What we know about the gun used in the mosque massacre in New Zealand, where gun laws are some of the most lax in the developed world
- How you can help support New Zealand's recovery effort following the deadly Christchurch mosque shooting
- Here's what we know about the victims of the mosque mass shootings in New Zealand that killed at least 49 people