NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – A candlelight vigil was held Saturday night for Ali Muhammad who was shot and killed Thursday night.
The community was shaken even more by the fact that his father, Bilal has spent decades fighting against gun violence.
Community members, politicians, Norfolk Police, and others came out to support the Muhammad family.
Dozens of those in attendance broke down in tears as Bilal recounted hearing the last moments of his son’s life over the phone, Ali saying someone was blocking his car in as he was on his way to work.
“Son what’s going on,” he said to his son. He said Ali spoke to the person who shot him saying, “They won’t move, excuse me will you move your car?”
What happened next broke the hearts of many, not just in the Norfolk community, but around Hampton Roads.
“He walked up to his car ‘Will you take that gun out of my face I’m on the phone’…pow.”
He said his son’s death is even more reason to start to form connections with each other so that something like this doesn’t happen again.
“We’ve got to begin to become more responsible for our community and for ourselves to have more connections with our family and begin to connect with them and realize what’s taking place in your environment.”
He had a lasting message for everyone there.
“And we’re going to release our community so that if anybody thinks about doing damage to anybody-take a stand.”
At the end of the vigil, 33 balloons were released – representing how old Ali Muhammad was when he was taken from his father, mother, partner, and his three young daughters.
