Father and son survivors of the Paris terrorist attack share their story

Australian John Leader and his 12-year-old son Oscar share their harrowing experience during the attack at Bataclan which left almost 100 people severely injured or dead.

At first they thought it was all part of the show. Fireworks, perhaps.

But soon it dawned on John Leader and the rest of the crowd watching American band Eagles of Death Metal at Bataclan concert hall that it was something else.

Then, everyone threw themselves on the floor.

From behind a desk he was hiding behind with his 12-year-old son, he saw two of the shooters. One was changing his magazine.

Oscar told CNN that one of the gunmen said something about Syria. “You need to think about Syria” in French. The absence of a foreign accent suggested he was a local.

Leader says they were organized. One was covering the crowd and the other one was shooting. The father and son were one of the survivors of the Paris terrorist attack with the most number of casualties.

Striking the heart of Paris, the coordinated widespread attack was the most horrific act of terrorism France has experienced in over a decade.

Watch their full CNN interview below.

Read: 33 Ways to teach your child how to love humankind and live in a terrorism-free world

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from theAsianparent.com Philippines!

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

Written by

Bianchi Mendoza

Become a Contributor

English