Vigil held for London teen killed two days after high school graduation

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More than a dozen people held a vigil Saturday night to mourn an 18-year-old Londoner who graduated high school only two days before being killed, with grieving friends remembering him as a friendly and energetic young man.

Abdul Hashim, known to his friends as “Zeko,” died Friday night after he was stabbed in the parking lot of a public housing complex at 1057 Southdale Rd. E., just east of Millbank Drive, his father, also named Abdul Hashim, told The Free Press.

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The elder Hashim on Sunday said his son graduated from Sir Wilfrid Laurier secondary school last Wednesday, just 48 hours before being killed, and had aspirations of going to college.

“He had big ambitions,” the grieving father said. “He wanted to be an engineer but he also liked acting.”

Hashim’s death is the second confirmed homicide in London this year and one of two suspicious deaths that took place within hours of each other Friday night. Police have announced second-degree murder charges against two 17-year-old males from London, who can’t be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, in connection with Hashim’s slaying.

“He was the friendliest person I knew,” said 19-year-old Abduljabbar Al-Samraei, who attended Saturday night’s vigil and was still at the scene of his friend’s death Sunday morning. “It still hurts a lot.”

A small memorial decorated with candles, flowers and messages of love has been placed in the parking lot where Hashim was killed.

Al-Samraei described Hashim as an easy-going young man who enjoyed hanging out with friends, playing video games and who had an interest in mixed martial arts. Andre Thompson, who met Hashim in elementary school, offered similar memories.

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“He was always so energetic and was into sports,” Thompson, 18, said. “He was very friendly and would accept anybody.”

Though they drifted apart after attending different high schools, Thompson said they would occasionally get together to play basketball. “When I heard what happened, I just couldn’t believe it,” he said.

On Sunday, two London police investigators could be seen canvassing the Southdale Road East complex, interviewing neighbours. Gone Sunday morning were the yellow tape and cones used by police to cordon off the crime scene and mark evidence.

Police have said officers were called at about 10 p.m. Friday to the Southdale Road East complex after receiving reports of a disturbance. At the scene, they located a man with life-threatening injuries. The victim was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Later that night, officers responded around midnight to the area of Wharncliffe and Western roads following reports of a medical emergency. There, police say officers found a woman with life-threatening injuries.

Sunday, a forensic van remained outside 345 Wharncliffe Rd. N., a public housing building located just north of the Wharncliffe Road-Oxford Street intersection where the death happened.

No charges had been announced in relation to that investigation as of midday Sunday.

jjuha@postmedia.com

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