Last Friday afternoon, 16-year-old Nabil Askafe received a call from a friend and told his mother he was stepping out.
His mother asked him to “eat before leaving,” she remembers, but he said no and promised he would return soon. That was the last time she saw him.
“I always feel like he will knock on the door and come in, but…” Hala Tatish said, closing her eyes as she tried to hold back tears.
Askafe was shot at Jackson Square mall in downtown Hamilton on April 24, less than an hour after leaving home. According to police, there was a “small interaction” that escalated into a larger “altercation,” resulting in Askafe’s death. A 14-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder after turning himself in last Sunday.
Nabil Askafe, 16, attended Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton. (Submitted by Abrar Mechmechia)
Tatish shared with CBC Hamilton during an interview translated from Arabic that her son was loving and funny, eager to experience life and always ready to lend a hand.
He dreamed of traveling to Germany and Dubai and eventually wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement.
“He didn’t get to do anything,” Tatish lamented.
The Grade 11 student at Westdale Secondary School looked forward to growing up and living life fully, she added.
“We will get his death certificate instead of getting his graduation certificate.”
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Nabil Askafe, left, along with his younger brother Niebal Askafe, were born in Syria before arriving in Canada with their family in 2016. (Diona Macalinga/CBC)
Tatish now feels uneasy about sending her younger children off to school or kindergarten again.
“I’m scared. I’m afraid … Maybe I’ll lose my other son,” she said sadly.
Mazen Askafe, Nabil’s father, stated that the family is experiencing panic and uncertainty.
“It’s not just about us; I’m speaking for everyone in Hamilton,” he said during an interview translated from Arabic.
A community vigil took place outside Hamilton city hall Thursday evening in memory of Askafe. At that same time as the vigil began, another shooting occurred just down the street from city hall that resulted in a 19-year-old’s death at a City Housing apartment building.
Askafe’s father wants answers about what measures will be taken against future tragedies like this one.
“Nabil passed away but we don’t want this happening again after [him],” Mazen stated.
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‘I didn’t come to Canada to lose him’
Tatish and her husband moved to Canada from Syria in 2016 when Askafe was seven years old. They were fleeing war and seeking a safer environment for their children. Askafe was the oldest of four siblings: Niebal, Taha, and Baraa. “He was [my] first happiness; he was the first to call me mom,” she recalled. Tatish mentioned she hasn’t been able to return to the mall where her son lost his life. “Or anywhere nearby. Every time I step out of our building or get into the car, anything reminds me of my son. ‘My son walked here. My son was here,'” she expressed. “When I lost my son, I didn’t see anything good here because I didn’t come to Canada just to lose him.”Family wants Hamilton safer for all kids
Mazen expressed his desire for lawmakers to take action regarding safety issues. “I don’t want to walk into Jackson [Square] or any other mall seeing guns held by young people,” he insisted. Tatish agreed that steps must be taken so other children don’t face similar fates: “If we keep killing youth there will be no future,” she warned.Tatish mentioned feeling unsafe lately; it’s tough for her even going outside or letting her kids go off to school now.(Diona Macalinga/CBC)
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