BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The family of Nurul Amin Shah Alam addressed the community for the first time tonight after the Erie County Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide earlier this month.
Shah Alam was found dead days after Border Patrol dropped him off at a closed Tim Hortons in Riverside.
His wife, Fatimah Abdul Roshid, and two of her sons spoke at a press conference tonight to share their gratitude for the community's support. Abdul Roshid sat alongside her 10-year-old son and young adult son.
Community members Katrina Martin-Bordeaux and activists Alex Burgos and Victoria Ross sat with the family in support.
Abdul Roshid is pleading with the community for help as they navigate life after her husband's passing with no family in the United States. Because Abdul Roshid speaks little English, Buffalo community member Arakan Prince translated on her behalf.
"We want everybody to feel safe. We want everybody to feel included. We want everybody to feel welcome," Prince said.
The family requested a memorial be created at the site where Shah Alam's body was found on Perry Street near the KeyBank Center.
Abdul Roshid also requested that someone write on her behalf to help reunite her with her three other adult sons, who are in Malaysia. They sought refuge after leaving their homeland of Rohingya.
"I'm getting old right now, and I don't think I have much left, much strength let to keep going and what's keeping me alive right now is the hope. That one day my children will be by my side, that my grandchildren will be in my arms," Prince said.
The family is seeking support or guidance for her son's education. Mohammad Faisal Shah Alam came to the United States with aspirations to pursue his education but had to start taking care of his family following his father's death.
The family is accepting monetary donations via Zelle and CashApp at $FATIMAHABDULROSHID.
Earlier this month, the family's attorney, Terry Connors, discussed how the case will possibly move forward.
"It's unlikely that a criminal prosecution, but it's not being ruled out because the district attorney's looking at it, but there will likely be civil litigation that will follow, and that's where you'll get most of the answers," Connors said.
