Murder-suicide: Twin boy survives by 'faking his death'

Waseem, 21, was shot dead allegedly by his mom Aneesa Arrison. Picture: Daily Voice

Waseem, 21, was shot dead allegedly by his mom Aneesa Arrison. Picture: Daily Voice

Published Jan 16, 2017

Share

Cape Town – A quiet community is in shock after a mother allegedly shot and killed her 21-year-old son, and wounded her twin sons, aged 14, before turning the gun on herself.

In what witnesses described as scenes from a horror movie, the bleeding twins managed to escape the slaughter and scream for help.

Mom of three Aneesa Arrison, 43, was found dead in her lounge at her home in Bernadino Heights on Saturday just before 6am.

It is believed Aneesa, who had lost her husband to cancer, shot herself in the head.

The mother was still dressed in her pink gown, her lifeless body propped upright on her couch.

In another room of the four-bedroom house, cops found Aneesa’s eldest son, Waseem, 21, who was also shot in the head.

Waseem was a second-year student at the University of the Western Cape and was working part-time as an IT specialist.

Neighbours say 14-year-old Yacoob, one of the twins, pretended to be dead after being shot.

He was hit in the hand while his brother, Yusuf, was shot in the head.

A courageous Yacoob carried his bleeding, but still alive, twin out of the house and into the street. He ran to a family friend’s home in Ultra Street, more than 200m away.

Yusuf is said to be in a critical condition in hospital.

A neighbour, who asked not to be identified, said they are shocked: “We knew there was trouble, but we didn’t expect that a mother would shoot her own children.”

Captain FC van Wyk confirms circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

“A murder, attempted murder and inquest case was registered for investigation.”

Former colleagues, neighbours and family described Aneesa as a hard-working mother, who buried her husband Ameen two years ago after he died of cancer.

Ameen had been a school teacher.

Aneesa had worked as a supervisor at Shoprite Checkers at Fairbridge Mall. She left her job a few months ago, but the family was “financially comfortable”.

“She recently bought a new car, refurbished her home and built a swimming pool for her children, saying now they didn’t have to travel far for the beach,” said one woman.

Family friend Imam Jubayer Miller said Aneesa had been a “good-natured person who lived for her family”.

The holy man believes Aneesa may have been suffering from depression following Ameen’s death.

“I think she longed for her husband and that it was the cause (of the shooting),” he said.

“She was a giving person who would lend her car to those who desperately needed it.

“She would always say that Ameen was the ideal father for her three children.”

He said no one seemed aware of the fact that Aneesa owned a firearm.

Meanwhile, the imam described heroic Yacoob as a bright little boy.

“Although they were twins, Yacoob was the brighter one,” he said.

“Yusuf is the shorter and fat one, that is how we can tell them apart. Yacoob will play games but he prefers sitting with a book, he began reading at the age of three.

“Yusuf is in a critical condition and Yacoob is doing much better after being shot in the hand.”

Daily Voice

Related Topics: