An 'unbelievable' loss

[Camel Mlik]

http://www.hiiraan.org/2005/aug/somali_news12_3.htm

 

Families try to cope with gun slayings of two young men Summer weekend began with a wedding and ended in death

 

There was no altercation, no sideways glance, not even an exchange of words.

 

 

A man who watched in horror as two of his friends were shot to death execution-style told the Toronto Star yesterday that nothing had occurred that would have provoked the attack.

 

The friends had just left the Phoenix Concert Theatre early Monday morning. "We were having a good time, just celebrating. We never had any arguments, no problems," he said yesterday before attending the double funeral for Loyan Ahmed Gilao, 23, and Ali Mohamud Ali, 19.

 

"It all happened so fast, in a split second. I was walking behind Ali and he shot him point-blank, execution-style," said the friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

"There was no one on the sidewalk, just two prostitutes on the road. We didn't expect it. All you hear is multiple shots and then nothing. And then multiple shots."

 

Ali died from a gunshot wound to the head, while Gilao died from a gunshot to the chest. A third man was also hurt in the shooting around 4 a.m.

 

Before the tragic turn, the trio had been with about a dozen of their buddies at the Sherbourne St. club capping off a celebratory weekend that included a friend's wedding.

 

While at the club, there were no problems between any of the group members and anyone else at the club, said the friend with certainty.

 

After leaving, a group of five headed to a car parked near Homewood Ave. and Maitland Pl. where a man approached them and, without warning, opened fire, said the friend.

 

"It doesn't make sense," he said at the Etobicoke mosque yesterday where 1,500 people united in grief to pay their final respects to the men, heralded as leaders within the Somali community.

 

"They weren't into anything bad," he said, ruling out gang ties or retaliation.

 

His sentiments were echoed by many who said the overwhelming turnout was a testament to how deeply the pair were loved and admired.

 

"As a collective Somali community we are grieving, they were killed for nothing," said Ali's aunt, Khadija Abdi. "All of us are shocked, except for the parents. I think they are dead inside."

 

Both families moved to Canada during the 1980s to give their children a better and safer life, she said. But in a sad twist of fate, the young men were victims of the kind of violence their parents wanted to shield them from.

 

"Loyan's father has been very active in the community promoting peace, and now to have his son killed in that context is very tragic," said Cassandra Fernandes, a policy and community consultant for the city who attended the funeral yesterday on behalf of the mayor.

 

Gilao's father, Mohamed Gilao, is a prominent and well-respected member of Toronto's Somali community who has travelled on various peace missions to his homeland.

 

Yesterday both Gilao's and Ali's parents were too overwhelmed to speak publicly about the loss of their firstborn and only sons. Ali's mother, Suleka Hussein, already fragile from a heart condition, was so overcome with grief that she fainted by the entrance moments after viewing her son's body.

 

One of about a dozen police officers on duty in front of the Khalid Bin Al Waliid mosque was on hand to help. Minutes later paramedics arrived to treat Hussein, who was well enough to return inside shortly after.

 

Relatives of both men, some of whom travelled from British Columbia, Alberta and Virginia to attend the funeral, spoke warmly of the young men's benevolent spirits.

 

"Ali was a generous person, always giving to people what he had," said his sister, Amran Ali Jama.

 

Her red-rimmed eyes filled with tears when she added, "it was just the wrong place and wrong time."

 

Gilao, nicknamed Banks because he'd always find spare change for children, would literally take the shirt off his back for a friend, said aunt Hawa Gilao.

 

"He only had one-third of the clothing he bought in his closet," she said, adding, "he loved to help people."

 

In an effort to "continue his legacy" and keep his memory and name alive, the Gilao family is thinking of starting a foundation in his name, she said, adding the money would likely go to families who've lost children to violence.

 

Friends of the duo remembered them as bright young men with bright futures. "Loyan was the sweetest person you could ever come across," said Roda Ali, who was friends with both men.

 

"And Ali, he could've been somebody really great. They were both the perfect children."

 

Gilao, a third-year York University commerce student, was planning to propose to his girlfriend of three years in the coming months.

 

Meanwhile, Ali had recently moved to Vancouver, where he was trying to start a trucking company. He had returned to Toronto for his friend's wedding and was scheduled to go back to B.C. early this week.

 

After the funeral service, mourners made their way to Beechwood Cemetery, where both men were buried.

 

Gilao leaves his father, mother Ayan Osman and sisters Iman, 8, Lul, 10, Marian, 14, and Meimuna, 20. Ali leaves his mother, father Mahamud Jama and sisters Hibo, 18, Amran, 17, and Deja, 5.

Source: Toronto Star, Aug 11, 2005

[Camel Mlik]

May Allah have mercy on them and make the path to Al-Jannah comfortable for them and all the righteous people that have pasted away before&after them ameen yaa allaah!!

 

Once again may Allah have mercy on all of us!!! Ameen.

 

انا لله وان اليه راجعون

رحمه الله

الشيخ احمد ديداد

واسكنه Ùسيح جناته