Mosque victim, age 3, seemed like old soul
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — He spent just three years on this earth, but in some ways, a friend said, he seemed like an old soul. Before he became the youngest known victim of Christchurch’s mass shooting, 3-yearold Mucaad Ibrahim had possessed an intelligence beyond his years, and an affinity for his elders.
But on Friday, when a gunman stormed into the mosque where Mucaad was sitting with his big brother and father, it was Mucaad’s youth that left him so vulnerable. In the chaos that ensued as people fled from the bullets, the tiny boy became separated from his family. On Sunday, his brother Abdi Ibrahim said that police had confirmed the worst: their beloved little boy was dead.
Amid the horror over the carnage, the death of Mucaad, with his big brown eyes and sweet smile, has pierced with particular ferocity.
“He’s been loved by the community here,” said Ahmed Osman, a close family friend. “It’s been tough days. It’s Mucaad been really tough days.”
Mucaad was a joyful, energetic child who always seemed to be laughing, Abdi said. And he was bright, with an affinity for technology. His toy of choice was an ipad.
The boy’s intelligence impressed Osman. Mucaad seemed to particularly enjoy talking to older people, he said.
“He was very approachable,” Osman said. “He is easygoing to talk to.”
Nearly every Friday at 6 p.m., Mucaad would go to the park not far from the mosque to watch Abdi play soccer with Osman and their friends. The boy would cheer them on and kick a ball of his own along the grass, Osman recalled with a smile.
Mucaad had planned to go to the park, as usual, on Friday evening. He would never get the chance.
That afternoon, he joined Abdi and their father at the Al Noor mosque for Friday prayers. Mucaad was sitting just in front of Abdi, listening to the imam, when a thunder of bullets shattered the peace.
On Sunday, Abdi waited at Christchurch’s airport for the arrival of another of his brothers, Abdifatah Ibrahim, who had been abroad when the massacre occurred.
“My mum, she’s been struggling,” Abdi said. “Every time she sees other people crying, emotional, she just collapses.”
A few minutes later, Abdifatah arrived. The brothers embraced, then went to wait for the release of their brother’s body so they could lay him to rest.