EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — Friends, family, and community members gathered Sunday night in memory of 28-year-old Dr. Benjamin Harouni, who was shot and killed last week while working at Smile Plus Dentistry with his dad.
“I still can’t comprehend it in my mind," said Jacob Harouni, Benjamin's brother. "It’ll take me a while to sit down with it and understand this is actually happening.”
El Cajon police said that on Thursday at around 4 p.m., 29-year-old Mohammed Abdulkareem entered the dentist's office and shot three people. Harouni died at the scene, while the other two victims are currently in stable condition.
“I was in the middle of my living room. They called me," said Sosan Zolfaghari, a family friend. "I had to start screaming. Just screaming.”
Zolfaghari said she is grappling with the loss. “Benjamin was always like my son. I saw him growing. He was an amazing kid, full of joy.”
Abdulkareem is now in custody, facing multiple felony charges, including one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
The El Cajon Police Department has found no evidence suggesting the incident was a hate crime.
“I promise you I’ll dedicate my life to bringing peace in this world,” Jacob said.
