Parents remember Hamilton teen killed in mall shooting

The parents of 16yearold Nabil Askafe are speaking publicly about their son after he was killed in a shooting at Jackson Square mall in downtown Hamilton on April 24. Police say the case began with a small interaction that escalated into an altercation, and a 14yearold boy has been charged with seconddegree murder. Nabil’s mother, Hala Tatish, said he was loving, funny, and eager to help others. She described him as her first child and said he was the first to call her mom. The Grade 11 student at Westdale Secondary School had hoped to travel and one day work in law enforcement. Tatish and her husband, Mazen Askafe, moved to Canada from Syria in 2016 to raise their children in safety. They said the loss has left the family afraid and struggling to leave home, and they want stronger action to prevent more youth violence in Hamilton. A vigil was held for Nabil outside Hamilton city hall, where family members, friends, school staff, and community members gathered to mourn him. Police have said the firearm used in the shooting has not been recovered, and the investigation is continuing.