"It's very sad. Very, very sad, shocking news," said his cousin Abdallah Salman. Police cordon off Palms Motel in Darwin. Credit:AAP "We were very close and good friends. We had a strong relationship – I saw him every day for coffees, dinners. "He was a lovely person, friendly, loved everyone, and was friends with everyone. He was always smiling and was a very easy-going person. It's a big loss ... he was one of the best people I knew in my life." Mr Baydoun came to Australia from Lebanon to study at Charles Darwin University in 2009 or 2010.

Loading He completed a masters of information technology in software engineering at the end of last year. He was working as a taxi driver with Blue Taxi Company, which released a statement remembering Mr Baydoun. "Last night in a terrible unprecedented mass shooting, never before seen in our home town, Blue Taxis lost one of their long-term beloved drivers. Our company is heartbroken and his colleagues are in a state of shock," the statement read. "This is not what our city stands for. Someone shot having a meal break while going about their own business. We pray that we never have to witness anything like this ever again.

"We mourn him and honour him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. RIP, Hassan." NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said police believed the alleged shooter was looking for one person when he went on his shooting spree across Darwin's CBD. He confirmed that police believe the individual's name is Alex, and that they have spoken to the man, who is interstate. Mr Salman said he did not know whether his cousin had known or had ever come into contact with the alleged shooter, but believed it to be random.

"The only person who could answer that is Hassan," he said. "He didn't have enemies, he was a lovely person and an easy-going guy." Mr Baydoun's family in Lebanon was "devastated" by the news, he said. They had been planning to visit Mr Baydoun in Darwin in a few weeks for his older brother's graduation ceremony. "Can you imagine? They haven't seen their kids for 2½ years, were going to visit him in the next few weeks and this happens," he said.

Loading "He wanted to stay here, he loved this place, he loved Australia and he had friends here." Another cousin, Leila Salman, said Mr Baydoun had been living away from his family and home country to make a better future for himself. "He's a very hard worker, loving, chivalrous, friendly, helpful and he’s always optimistic. He was one of the greatest people I knew. I've never met someone with such a pure heart and soul like him," he said. "We used to meet up in Casuarina and start talking about Lebanon, our families and the hope of moving back there. He always got so emotional about his mum, worrying about her health and not living near her as she grows older.

"He hasn’t seen her for three years, and that fact alone broke his heart each passing day and filled him with so much guilt." He said Mr Baydoun was excited to show his parents his newly built house. "I remember when I saw him, about a short period of time ago, it was like for the first time in three years he was genuinely happy and excited. When he was about to get his break after 10 years of hard work," he said. Islamic Society of Darwin secretary Robi Islam said the community was "shocked and saddened" by the event. "We are celebrating Eid ... and the incident has really shaken us," he said.