Family speaks out after Arizona City store clerk was killed during robbery
By Ashley Holden
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ARIZONA CITY, Arizona (KNXV) — The family of Mohammad Abdul Hasim, known to the community as Dream, is speaking out after the store clerk was killed Sunday during an armed robbery in Arizona City.
“Everything, he was my everything,” said Dream’s brother Abdul Raju.
Raju said the family moved to Arizona from Michigan in 2011, taking over Sunlite Market.
“He was very nice to everybody,” said Raju.
The community of Arizona City got to know Dream for his kindness, smile, and laughter as he worked at the store.
“The night before, we worked together, so he came home like after midnight and then he went to open the store in the morning,” said Raju.
Raju tells ABC15 that would be the last time he saw his brother.
Pinal County Deputies say Dream was killed as 31-year-old Billy Johnson allegedly robbed the store.
“It was senseless,” said community member Vicki Watson.
She and others in Arizona City told ABC15 they were relieved Johnson was later caught and arrested, but they are still left angry.
Watson said she tried to stop by the market less than an hour after Dream was killed.
“I just started crying,” said Watson. “I still cry. He was a good guy, beautiful soul.”
She says now she and the community want answers and justice.
“It makes me sick thinking about it because I just know that man walked in the door, and he smiled and greeted him,” said Roselyn Flores.
Flores and her family say they wanted to give back, jumping in to help plan a vigil for Wednesday.
The community has now rallied around Dream’s family, even creating a memorial near the store.
“When you hear something like this, the community comes out full force,” said Flores.
Flores says she thought the vigil would take a week to plan but it only took community members just a few hours.
Other businesses in Arizona City are also holding fundraisers for Dream’s family, which includes his wife and two young kids.
“It feels very good like I can’t even explain,” said Raju about the support. “It’s an amazing community, I can’t even explain how much it means to us.”
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