Parents of Aarau gunman apologise: "It is terrible"
The parents of Julien G., who fired 40 times into a crowd of people after a techno party, have spoken publicly for the first time and apologised.
Parents break silence after shooting rampage in Aarau
The parents of the alleged gunman from Aarau have spoken publicly for the first time. In comments to the local newspaper "Le Quotidien Jurassien", they express their deepest regret – and address the victims directly: "Our thoughts are first and foremost with the victims. With the young woman who died, her family, the injured, all the people… It is terrible… We apologise for our son."
Their son, Julien G. (43), is alleged to have fired 40 times into a crowd of celebrating people after a techno party on the night of Sunday. The 22-year-old Maria S. died in the attack, and six other people were injured. Approximately a day after the shooting rampage, police arrested Julien G. on suspicion of the crime in the Canton of Jura.
No sign of violence in the family
According to the father, Julien G. never displayed violence towards his family. "Sometimes he would lose his composure, his words or demeanour were more aggressive than an ordinary person, but the pressure would ease immediately," says the father. "Sometimes he would say abhorrent things and apologise 15 minutes later. But outside of these crises he could also be extremely friendly towards us."
The parents last had contact on the evening before the shooting rampage. Julien G. was planning to set off on a several-day holiday trip; a family gathering in Italy was planned for the following week. "The last message we received came that day: he wrote to his mother that he had arrived safely and that everything was fine. But we did not even know where he was," says the father.
In the night of Monday, police officers woke the parents. When the officers subsequently searched Julien G.'s former room in the family home, they informed the parents that the search was "in connection with the shooting".
Schizophrenia diagnosis around 20 years ago
The parents' account is consistent with what neighbours from the Jura village of Montsevelier told Blick: Julien G. had lived an extremely withdrawn life. "We were practically the only people he still saw. We knew nothing about his life. He did not want to talk about himself. As soon as we asked him anything, he would say it was none of our business," say the parents.
A long time ago, their son received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Around 2007, he had been treated for three weeks in a psychiatric clinic in Delémont JU – because, according to the father, he "could no longer bear being around people and could no longer work normally". Contrary to official statements from the authorities, Julien G. had also never completed military service.
Names of victim and perpetrator abbreviated by the editorial office.
Source: Blick