The political leaders and close friends of Ontario say that a man who died during an invasion of the house in Vaughan over the weekend was killed in front of his children.
Abdul Aleem Farooqi, 46, husband and father of four children, was a man of faith, charity and community, according to his friends. One has described it as “noble.”
The York Regional Police says that the invasion of the house was attacked, but they have published few details about the incident and have not confirmed that there was a shooting.
In a press release on Sunday, the police said they responded to a residence in the Andreeta Drive and Barons Street area for an invasion of the house shortly before 1 in the morning on Sunday. When the officers arrived, the police said they found a man suffering from trauma in his body. He was declared dead on the scene. The Forensic officer then identified the man.
Police said they are looking for at least three suspects described as dark clothes and face coatings.
Farooqi’s nearby friends said they are unbelievers that they killed him, and the two who talked to CBC Toronto say that the victim’s family told them that they shot him in front of his children.
His close friend Ehsan Malik, a family friend who knew Farooqi for about 15 years, said he is “devastated” and wants the news to be a “nightmare” from which he could wake up. He said Farooqi was called Aleem.
“Aleem was a brother. He was not a blood brother, but he had a problem, I would go to Aleem first before going to my true brother,” said Malik.
“Charity was in his blood. He always found excuses to help others or to help the community.”
Wasib Dhendsa, another family friend, said Farooqi worked for a air duct cleaning service, unique suppliers, and had three daughters and one son. He had a unique ability to treat friends as a family and encouraged people to be the best version of themselves, he said.
“Without any ambiguity of the term, he was really the incarnation of the noble word,” said Dhendsa. “He was a very strong man of faith.”
Ontario’s Prime Minister, Doug Ford, at an unrelated press conference in Kitchener, Ontario, told journalists on Tuesday that Farooqi was a friend and intruders kicked at the doors of his house in the middle of the night.
Ford said Farooqi was shot dead in front of his children.
“Imagine, you know … the trauma that these children are going to go through the rest of their lives,” Ford said.
“I have a saying for the people who defend their homes:” I prefer to be judged by 12 than taken by six. “And unfortunately, my friend Aleem will be taken by six because he is trying to defend his family,” Ford said.
The mayor of Vaughan, Steven del Duca, in a statement published in X, previously Twitter, said Tuesday he heard of relatives and friends of the victim.
“Deplorable criminals who killed this man, in front of his wife and children in his own home, need to be captured and face a quick and hard punishment,” said Duca in the statement.
The murder also attracted the attention of the Minister of Energy of Ontario, Stephen Lecce, and the Minister of Transportation of Ontario, Prabmeet Sarkaria.
In an X post, previously Twitter, Lecce said Monday: “This is an unimaginable nightmare for the family and for all neighbors. My deepest condolences to the Farooqi family. I met Abdul in recent years and I will remember him as a good man of the family and a hardened business leader.”
In an X post, previously Twitter, Sarkaria said Tuesday: “This is absolutely heartbreaking and enraged. No father should have to face the nightmare of someone who points a weapon to his son in his own home.”
Meanwhile, a small monument is growing near Farooqi’s house.
Hundreds presented for a last minute vigil on Monday To remember. Police are scheduled to provide an update on Wednesday.
