Heroic survivor relives horror daily
The screams of the children keep him awake. Abdul Rahiman, 60, who helped about 30 people escape during Friday’s terror attack at Masjid Al-Noor in Christchurch hasn’t slept since it happened.
It would have been 32 escaped but the gunman shot two of the youngest as they tried to flee. A 12-year-old boy was killed and a 4-year-old girl remains in critical condition. ‘‘I can see them when I close my eyes. I can see the young boy get shot as we tried to run to safety. I can see the baby that was in our group screaming, she was only 2. I can’t sleep,’’ he said.
The shooting happened during Jummah, also known as Friday prayers, which was the most important prayer meeting of the week, Rahiman said.
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Fifty people are dead and 32 people remain in hospital following the terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch. A 28-year-old Australian national remains in custody on one charge of murder, with further charges expected.
Rahiman said the days after the attack had brought no relief. He was scared to leave his house but was able to visit his injured friends in hospital with support from family and friends. ‘‘I’m scared someone might shoot me.
‘‘I tried to go to the dairy on Saturday ... It was hard, I was scared.’’
Rahiman has lived in Christchurch for two years and lived a relatively peaceful life before Friday’s attack.
‘‘I never thought about being safe because when you feel safe you don’t think about it. I don’t feel the same.
‘‘I don’t feel safe.’’
He relives the terror-filled moments in his head. ‘‘There was about 30 people I got out of the side door. I thought if we could get out we could jump the fence to safety.
‘‘I saw the 12-year-old boy get shot, he was running with us, so was the young girl who is in Starship now. How could he [the alleged gunman] do that to our people, they didn’t hurt anyone. I can’t understand it.’’
The plan was to get the survivors over the fence but many could not make the jump so took refuge behind cars in the mosque car park. ‘‘They were all screaming as we ran, I tried to calm them so he couldn’t hear us, so he couldn’t find us.’’
New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists president Dr Malcolm Stewart said the survivors would be experiencing strong emotional reactions, including fear and anxiety. Those were normal reactions for people who had suffered significant trauma. Those not directly involved could also suffer a traumatic reaction, he said. There was no time limit on the healing process but getting psychological support was paramount.