CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Friday marks the ninth anniversary of a man well-known in the Corpus Christi community.
Ben Mustafa was shot and killed in April 2014. His family and friends came together Friday outside of the store he worked at to honor him.
Mustafa's family said the event grows every year, bringing the community together to honor him and raise awareness against gun violence.
"I always hear different stories, you know, about the things that he did and things that he's done for people, which is an amazing experience, you know? It's getting to relive those things that you sometimes forget," said Jen Allende, who is one of Mustafa's six children.
Allende said bringing the community together for Mustafa's Memorial Celebration is exactly what her father did when he was alive, working at what is now called Ben's Community Market. Life changed for the family when Mustafa was shot and killed in the store nine years ago.
Corpus Christi Police Department detective Eddie Alvarado said that officials quickly caught the men who shot Mustafa.
"I think to know that we made the arrest that day, I think it helped them," he said.
Alvarado said three people were arrested for Mustafa's murder and are in jail. They were caught the same day as the crime, and by 7 p.m., police had statements and the murder weapon.
"There was several witnesses that, that saw a vehicle take off," he said. "They followed it, one followed it, called the police as he was behind it. The officers got there and took it from there."
Allende said time and the annual celebration of his life helps heal the wounds of losing her father. When asked if she got closure from her father's killer being arrested, she said it still doesn't bring him back.
"That guy made a mistake. He took something priceless from us that we can never get back," she said.
Despite the pain of the loss, Allende said what is important now is remembering her father's legacy and what he meant to the community.
"All we can do is remember all the good that my father did and hope that we can continue that legacy and that he's looking down at us proud at what we're doing," she said.
Allende said her father will be remembered most by his giving heart, connection with people in the community, giving back and bringing brightness to the area.
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