Attack Killer’s Brother Asks Whether Massacre Might Have Been Averted

The brother of Axel Rudakubana has called for a public inquiry to determine whether authorities could have intervened to prevent his sibling from causing what he described as “immense pain, anguish and grief”.

Through his first public comments since the tragic incident, the older brother revealed that his sibling had grown “progressively more isolated” after being expelled from school in late 2019.

Investigation Aims to Uncover Potential Failures

Through a submitted testimony, he asked the presiding official to examine whether social services and other organizations could have done more to avert the atrocity.

“Dion wholeheartedly supports the inquiry’s aim to identify lessons that will minimise the prospect of such harm occurring in the future,” noted his legal team.

The probe is examining how a troubled teenager with a known obsession with blades and brutal behavior – who had been referred multiple times to a preventative program – was able to commit what was later called “one of the most egregious crimes in the nation’s memory.

Brother’s Personal History

At the time the incident occurred, the brother was studying mathematics at university, where he was also involved in music societies.

In his witness statement, he had “limited interaction” with his sibling in the years before the mass stabbing, partly due to his studies and mobility challenges.

He expressed his desire to assist the investigation because his brother’s actions had “caused the most immense pain to many lives.

Turning Point: Dismissal

His lawyers highlighted that the removal from school in 2019 for carrying a knife and assaulting a peer had played an important part in the individual’s withdrawal from friends and family.

On the day of the tragedy, the sibling was present in the household in their local community.

He provided information to authorities “as best he could” regarding his sibling’s condition in the period leading up to the violent incident, in which 11 young girls and two adults were stabbed, three fatally.

Character Contrast

The brother is described as “sharply different from” his brother – “a considerate individual” of strong integrity who was focused on his university studies.

A significant part of the attacker’s decline occurred at a time when his brother was still a child.

“He, along with others, hopes the investigation will examine whether more could have been done by authorities to assist his sibling or intervene in a way that might have minimized the likelihood of the attacks,” noted the testimony.

Grieving Relatives

The parents of the three murdered girls – Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar – recently spoke about the enduring trauma of their loss.

The inquiry, taking place in Liverpool, is due to conclude in November, with a final report to be presented to the government in the subsequent period.

Gregory Mercado
Gregory Mercado

An avid skier and travel writer with over a decade of experience exploring Italian slopes and sharing insights on winter sports.