‘It could have been any of us’: Father of 4 gunned down in Kleinberg home invasion laid to rest as family, friends call for justice

Many gathered today as Abdul Aleem Farooqi was laid to rest. Farooqi, a father of four was killed protecting his family during a home invasion in Vaughan, Ont.

Huge crowds of mourners came together Wednesday night at a mosque in Vaughan and Thursday morning at a cemetery in Kleinberg to pay their respects to and remember Aleem Farooqi, a 46-year-old father of four and small businessman fatally gunned down over the weekend during a home invasion.

Friends of the victim say he was shot when he stepped in after intruders pointed a gun at his daughters. The deadly incident happened on Aug. 31 shortly before 1 a.m. and the suspects are still at-large.

• ‘It makes you realize how short life is’: Devastated family, friends mourn father of 4 fatally shot during Kleinberg home invasion

“It’s been an emotional (past) few days. (I’ve been) reflecting on his final moments, what his children have gone through, what his wife is going through,” friend Adil Malik shared of Farooqi, who was a beloved member of the local Ahmadiyyah community.

“He died in the way of God. He died protecting his family,” another friend added.

Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca was among the funeral attendees.

“Just knowing that it’s a family that’s been shattered by this senseless crime is really beyond belief. It’s remarkable to see the community rallying around the family,” he said.

Baitul Islam Mosque was beyond capacity last night as many worshippers bowed their heads outside and later lined up in front of Farooqi’s casket following the final prayer to say good-bye and support the man’s family.

His brother Naeem was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and care.

“I’ve heard everything in between … from the days when he was a kid, a teenager, an adult, a newly married man, a new father. It just tells you the story of a person who is really devoted to his community and touched so many lives in such a short time,” he said, imploring the “cowards” responsible for his brother’s death to “turn themselves in.”

“I have faith in our justice system.”

Farooqi was buried on Thursday at Nashville Cemetery in Kleinberg, with friends and family members taking turns shoveling earth onto his casket.

“This man would genuinely not hurt a fly. … Anytime anyone needs help in the community, he’d be the first one to be there,” Tayyab, another friend, told CTV News Toronto.

“This shouldn’t happen in Canada. … He was a great guy. It was random. It could have been any of us. Unfortunately, it happened to the best of the best.”

Thursday was the third day of mourning, which is in line with the Ahmadiyya Muslim custom. Following the burial, friends and relatives gathered at the Farooqi family home.

A crowdfunding page started by the man’s family to raise money for his teenage son and three young daughters has so far raised upwards of $25,000.

Police, meanwhile, are stressing that they believe what occurred was a robbery, that Farooqi was targeted only for money.

“The officers are working diligently to bring those to justice, but, I’ll leave it there for now until we have an actual investigative update that I can share,” York Regional Police Chief Jim McSween said.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact York Regional Police’s Homicide Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7865, or [e-mail], or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Jon Woodward