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A candle light vigil for Khosay Sharifi, a 31-year-old woman who shot three of her family members before taking her own life, was held at High Rock Tower in Lynn on Friday evening, Sept. 2.
Residents including members of the Sharifi family and several of her co-workers attended, Itemlive reports. Sharifi’s sister, Lema, left the crowd with a few words.
“Thank you for all your love,” she said, according to the outlet. “It’s helpful. Thank you. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Sharifi fatally shot her 66-year-old father, Mohamad Sharifi, and 34-year-old brother-in-law, Sanjar Halin, at 98 Rockaway Street on Tuesday, Aug. 23, the Essex County District Attorney's Office said.
Khosay then fatally shot her brother-in-law's father, 56-year-old Abdul Halin, in his vehicle outside of 44 Laighton Street. Khosay then took her own life in her vehicle in the nearby parking lot at the Stop & Shop on Washington Street, the office reports.
A GoFundMe created for a family suggests mental health and abuse were contributing factors to the tragic incident. A Facebook post from Khosay herself details the family's history of abuse even further. The post was also published the same day as the shooting.
"Several months ago, I found out that my sister has been abused by her husband for 14 years (since they first met)," the post read. "He has chocked her, slapped, kicked, swore at her & the most recent a year and a half ago has punched her in her face."
"My father has also been abusive before & verbally but mostly financially abusive to my mom from what I've personally witnessed," the post continued. "Maybe that's why my mom did not protect her own daughter, because she's a victim too. But that's no excuse, how can you let your own daughter get abused."
Ireny Delacruz, a neighbor of the Sharifi family, said her and Heather Colahan organized the vigil to bring awareness to domestic abuse and violence, Itemlive reports.
“It’s sad and it’s a tragedy,” Delacruz told the outlet. “It doesn’t matter where you come from or what language you speak, you really have to talk to someone to avoid all of this.”
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