Bourke Street crash, Zain Khan: Accused killer’s mother reveals son’s mysterious past after he was charged over Melbourne rampage
Bourke Street crash, Zain Khan: Accused killer’s mother reveals son’s mysterious past after he was charged over Melbourne rampage
The mother of the accused Bourke Street killer has revealed how her son struggled with mental illness and stopped taking his medication two months before he allegedly carried out a deadly rampage.
Zain Khan, 26, allegedly drove his mother’s white Toyota Aurion through Melbourne’s CBD, plowing into bystanders before colliding with two other vehicles about 6.20pm on Friday.
The alleged victims included a 76-year-old man from Brunswick, who died when Khan’s car collided with his Hyundai at the intersection of Bourke and Russell Street.
Two women remain in hospital with head injuries and broken bones, while another man is recovering with a broken pelvis and concussion.
Khan’s mother, who did not want to be identified, said her son is a “nice boy” and a “humble son” who became “sick.”
Khan’s mother, who did not want to be identified, said her son was “a humble son” and a “nice kid” who became “sick” after he stopped taking crucial medicines. Pictured: Zain Khan
Khan, 26, was charged with one count of murder, three counts of attempted murder, three counts of causing serious injury with intent and two counts of conduct endangering life during the chaos on Bourke Street that unfolded on Friday.
“I don’t think he would want to hurt people, he wasn’t like that,” she said 7News.
She said her son stopped taking his antipsychotic medication two months ago, although he continued to take other mood stabilizers.
“He wasn’t a terrorist, he has mental health issues,” she said.
Khan’s family claims he was ‘normal’ when he took injections for an important drug, but when he stopped taking them he wanted to move out.
He was working in a cafe at Melbourne’s public Sunshine Hospital, about 20km west of Bourke Street, on the day of the tragedy.
But Khan did not complete his shift on Friday and instead left work early.
A video of Khan has also surfaced online in which he is sitting in a car and staring intensely into the camera lens. Other clips show Khan dancing alone.
After the horror scenes on Friday night, Khan was bizarrely filmed lying on the windscreen of his mother’s car, dressed from head to toe in white.
Two police officers dragged him from the Toyota, arrested and restrained him, then marched him away from the shocked onlookers.
Victoria Police claimed Khan accelerated after allegedly mowing down three pedestrians at a tram stop on the corner of Bourke Street and Swanston Street.
It is understood that Khan was ‘normal’ when taking injections for an important drug, but when he stopped taking them he wanted to leave ‘the house’.
Creepy footage shows Khan, dressed all in white, sitting on the roof of the Toyota for several minutes before police officers take him down and arrest him (pictured)
It is understood Khan, from Melton West, 40km from Melbourne, was unable to adequately answer police questions and was taken to hospital.
He was released on Saturday evening and had a court hearing late last night, where he was charged with 10 offences, including murder and attempted murder.
He also faces three charges of intentionally causing serious injury and two charges of conduct endangering life.
Police have confirmed that Khan is known to have a history of mental illness and have officially ruled out terrorism as a possible motive.