A famous war photographer was found stabbed to death on a popular hiking trail in California, and his 19-year-old son has been named a suspect.
Paul Lowe was a beloved award-winning British professor and photojournalist who covered some of the most important events in modern history, from the terrors of the Bosnian War, the siege of Sarajevo to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The 61-year-old, who taught at the University of the Arts, London, had a career that spanned decades, capturing images of Nelson Mandela’s liberation and the Romanian revolution, to name a few.
However, the renowned photographer was tragically found with fatal stab wounds in the San Gabriel Mountains on Saturday and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, her 19-year-old son, Emir Abadzic Lowe, is being held in the Los Angeles County Jail on $2 million bail on suspicion of her murder.
A famous war photographer, Paul Lowe, 61, was found stabbed to death on a popular hiking trail in California on Saturday, with the suspect being his own son.
Lowe was an award-winning British professor and photojournalist who covered major world events, including the terrors of the Bosnian War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and, most notably, the 1992 siege of Sarajevo.
During his lifetime, Lowe had documented several global events, including the end of the Cold War.
However, his most powerful image is said to have been taken during the siege of Sarajevo in 1992.
The photograph, which was the most famous, was in black and white of a boy with a ball while in Sarajevo, and was taken during a late afternoon winter walk.
“I came across the scene by chance and captured the ball thrown into the air as if this were any street in the world,” he said. the guardian in a 2022 interview.
“It’s a very common thing for a child, but it happens against the backdrop of the tank trap, an indication of the ever-present danger.”
‘The siege of Sarajevo was very hard for the children, who obviously did not want to be locked up. “They would risk their lives for a little pleasure,” he added.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office was called last Saturday to Mount Baldy Road near Stoddard Canyon Falls after reports of an assault with a deadly weapon.
Lowe’s body was discovered with “upper body trauma” and a stab wound to the neck, which the Los Angeles County medical examiner concluded was the cause of his death. the independent reported.
Another man was seen fleeing the scene, but crashed his car a few kilometers down the road, where he was later taken into police custody.
He divided his time between London and Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, but was visiting Southern California to discuss “family matters” when he was found dead in the San Gabriel Mountains.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about an assault with a deadly weapon on Mount Baldy Road near Stoddard Canyon Falls, an iconic hike that offers magnificent waterfalls and a swimming hole.
The suspect was identified as Lowe’s 19-year-old son and was arrested shortly after on suspicion of murdering his own father.
Lowe split his time between London and Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, but was in Southern California to handle some “family matters,” according to KTLA.
He had planned to meet Lara Jo Regan, a colleague and fellow photojournalist, for a drink and catch up while he was in the area, but after several days passed without a word from Lowe, Regan became nervous.
“I went on Facebook and was going to text him to see what was going on,” he told KTLA.
“So the first thing that came up was the news of his passing posted on his agency’s website in New York. I was more than surprised. I’m still a little shocked.
His son’s motive for the alleged fatal stabbing is still unknown.
In the wake of the photographer’s death, Ika Ferrer Gotić, senior international news producer and anchor at CNN and editor-in-chief of Forbes, took to X to share her meeting with Lowe in 2019, where they spent time “unraveling forgotten war crimes in Sarajevo and Bijeljina.
“We lost more than a photographer when #PaulLowe passed away,” he wrote in the post.
“We lost a witness to our history, a storyteller who showed the world truths that many wished to ignore.”
‘His lens captured more than the horrors of war; captured the resilience, survival and humanity of #Sarajevo at its darkest moment.’
His 19-year-old son, Emir Abadzic Lowe, was arrested on suspicion of murdering his own father.
Lowe was a beloved professor at the University of the Arts, London, and a photojournalist with work spanning decades, including the terrors of the Bosnian War and the siege of Sarajevo.
Police saw his 19-year-old son speed away from the scene, but he eventually crashed his car a few miles away.
The VII Foundation, founded in 2001 by independent photojournalists, shared a photo on Instagram taken by Lowe’s wife, Amra, remembering the legendary artist as a “brave and beloved comrade.”
‘His work during the siege was not limited to documenting the violence. “It was about remembering, reminding us that the destroyed buildings and the jagged remains of the barricades contained stories, stories that we should never forget,” he added.
“He spent six months after the war capturing the ruins, not as mere structures, but as symbols of what had been lost and what we must fight to preserve: our history, our humanity.”
After news of his untimely death, tributes began to pour in from friends, colleagues and strangers from around the world.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina embassy in the United Kingdom described Lowe as a “great artist”.
His tribute to the photographer on Facebook read: “Paul was a true friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a wonderful human being, a great artist and professional, loved and respected by all who knew him.”
“The memory, important work and legacy of Paul Lowe will continue for generations to come.”
The VII Foundation, founded in 2001 by independent photojournalists, shared a photo on Instagram taken by Lowe’s wife, Amra.
Police found Lowe in the mountains with trauma to his upper torso and a stab wound to his neck, which was determined to be the final cause of his death.
His son’s motive for killing his father is still unknown, but he is expected to appear in court Tuesday for a hearing.
“It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend and colleague Paul Lowe, whose brilliant life was cut short in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday,” the caption read.
“Paul was a brave and beloved comrade, and a deeply devoted father and husband.”
Regan, who met Lowe at the year’s World Press Photo exhibition 24 years ago, spoke of his true generosity of spirit and added that his legacy will live on through the photographs he has taken.
‘For those of us who knew him, Paul was not just a great artist. He was a kind soul, a man who cared deeply about the people and stories he photographed. “He was someone who became one with his subject, whose empathy was as powerful as his talent,” Gotić added in his tribute to X.
‘In a way, his life reflected his photography; an intimate connection to our brokenness, but still absolute fucking resilience.”
Emir Abadzic Lowe is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday for a hearing for his father’s murder.