The brother of Dr. Benjamin Harouni, the 28-year-old man who was shot and killed at his El Cajon dentist office last month, is directing the pain of his murder into a message of hope.
Jake Harouni, the youngest of three sons, is creating the "Hearts Over Hate Foundation." This new project is healing for both the organizer and others who might make use of it.
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“Ben was there for me in times like this, so for me, it is extra hard to get through this time without him. It’s ups and downs. It’s been mostly downs,“ Jake said.
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With heavy hearts, Jake and the rest of his family must continue without beloved son and brother Ben.
“Its just unimaginable that something like this, an act of such hate, would take someone so loving and so pure,“ Jake said.
On Feb. 29, alleged gunman Mohammed Abdulkareem entered Smile Plus Dentistry on North Magnolia Avenue. He allegedly shot and killed Ben and injured two others working there, according to El Cajon police.
While El Cajon police don’t consider the killing racially or politically motivated, for the Harouni family, that remains to be seen. Abdulkareem was a former patient, but Jake says the alleged gunman hadn’t received treatment there in over a year.
“It still doesn’t make sense to me that it's solely because of a dental issue. We don’t know until we see all the facts,“ Jake said.
Jake puts his trust in the police and legal system. He puts his faith in a more tolerant future.
“We can teach tolerance, and we can teach kids that it's OK to disagree with other people and still be friends," Jake said.
Teaching is just one aspect of the Hearts Over Hate Foundation that Jake is creating.
“I know that a lot of other families don’t necessarily have those support systems, and we want to make their grieving process a little bit easier for them,“ Jake said.
Still grieving, Jake is on sabbatical at a family home in Los Angeles. While sorting out his feelings, Jake sees only one way forward.
“The best option is to lead with love, and I think the world would be in a much better place if we practiced that,“ Jake said.
Smile Plus Dentistry has been closed since the shooting. Jake says it hasn’t been determined when the office will reopen.
Abdulkareem is being held without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled in May.
