A Syrian man whose mother and two of his sisters were killed in a shooting in Ras Al Khaimah has recalled the horror of the night that has left his family shocked and distraught.
The incident occurred shortly before midnight on May 5, when Maher Wafai, 40, who works in Sharjah, received a devastating call from a family member while returning home to Ras Al Khaimah.
He was informed that his mother and three of his sisters had been attacked. Upon arriving at the scene, Mr Wafai found that his 66-year-old mother and three of his sisters, aged 36, 38 and 47, had been shot.
His mother and 36-year-old sister died at the scene, while his 38-year-old sister and 47-year-old sister were taken to hospital with serious injuries. A terrified fourth sister, aged 30, remained in the family home.
“I still can’t believe what happened,” Mr Wafai told The National.
Deadly parking dispute
“My mother and four sisters were in the house when my neighbour arrived and became angry over [someone] blocking the road,” Mr Wafai added. “He claimed my sister’s car was blocking the narrow road to his house.”
Mr Wafai said his 36-year-old sister went outside and had an argument with the man.
“She went to the car to give him more space, when he ran over her. He then stepped out with a gun and shot her. I don’t know what happened and what he was thinking in that moment,” Mr Wafai added.
When his 38-year-old sister then went out, Mr Wafai said the gunman shot her too.
“She stepped outside the house with her 11-year-old son, trying to call the police, when he shot her in the neck. She gave the phone to her son to get help from the police.”
The attacker aimed his gun at the boy but Mr Wafai's sister, despite being already injured, blocked the bullet with the palm of her hand and the boy managed to run away.
The family's nightmare then got even worse when Mr Wafai's mother went out to confront the gunman. “Then my mother went outside yelling, and he shot her in the head,” said Mr Wafai.
Ras Al Khaimah Police arrived within minutes and arrested the suspect, a 55-year-old Yemeni man.
Authorities said the shooting was triggered by a dispute over a blocked road near the family’s home. The case is currently under investigation by the Ras Al Khaimah Public Prosecution and is expected to be referred to the emirate’s court soon.
'Horrific times'
While Mr Wafai's 38-year-old sister did not die at the scene, her injuries were so bad that she died in hospital four days later. The 47-year-old sister has recovered from her injuries.
The suspect is expected to face charges of premeditated murder over the death of the three women and a charge of attempted murder with regards to the 47-year-old woman.
“We leave the case in the hands of the law. We are calling for the death penalty for the suspect and we trust the UAE justice system,” Mr Wafai said.
Mr Wafai, who has lived in the UAE with his family since he was 18, said they have now left the house and area.
“We went through horrific times. I buried my mother and sisters. We are still in shock and disbelief,” he said.
“The UAE is a safe country and always protects its citizens, residents and visitors. We know justice will be served.”
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An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
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