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The final act of bravery by Naeem Rashid being shared all over the world right now.

 

At approximately 1:40pm on Friday afternoon, a white supremacist opened fire at the Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, where hundreds of people were inside gathering for their afternoon prayer.

What unravelled was a horror terror attack against the Islamic faith, with the latest figures revealing 49 people have died and another 48 injured. Prime Minister Jacinda Arden has called it “one of New Zealand’s darkest days”.

Now as the world mourns the callous attack on religious freedom, the names and stories of the victims are beginning to be revealed.

Among the 49 dead, was a man named Naeem Rashid.

When the gunman, a 28-year-old Australian born man, opened fire on the Christchurch Mosque, Rashid selflessly attempted to disarm the shooter by wrestling him.

Mr. Rashid’s heroic act was seen in the gunman’s devastating livestream.

Christchurch shooting video
Image via Twitter.
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The man did all he could to protect his fellow worshippers, but was left critically injured. Naeem Rashid was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died on Friday night.

Tragically, Mr Rashid’s 21-year-old son, Talha Naeem, who was doing his prayer alongside his father, also lost his life during the mass shooting.

Rashid originated from Abbottabad, Pakistan, before he migrated to Christchurch to work as a teacher. Talking to Ary News, Dr Khursheed Alam confirmed the horrific news that his brother Naeem Rashid, and nephew, Talha Naeem, had passed away in the Christchurch terror attack.

Other confirmed casualties include 71-year-old Haji Daoud Nabi, who's sons Omar and Yama Nabi stood outside the District court today in Christchurch, sharing photos of their father. The sons revealed that their father passed away when he was shielding another worshipper.

There are also emerging reports of a number of missing children, as well as kids who remain in hospital with critical injuries.

In the wake of the terrorist attack, it is not the perpetrator who should be remembered for his callous crime, but rather the heroic victims.

For more on this topic:

"If humanity had a face": The woman showing the world what Christchurch is made of.

"These won't be my best words..." Waleed Aly's moving monologue on Christchurch.

Brenton Tarrant: Before the Christchurch shooting began, a manifesto was published.

Why news outlets should think twice about publishing the New Zealand shooter’s livestream.

"New Zealand's darkest day": Everything we know about the Christchurch shooting.