May 1, 2017
Stephen Kim, a
Burmese-American immigrant killed in front of his three children, was able to
spend his last day with them in a school activity.
The 41-year-old
resident of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States was shot to death during an
attempted robbery last week. He was waiting in his car for his wife while his
three children sat at the back. Sgt. Paul Parizek, a spokesman for the Des
Moines Police, said four people were involved, one of whom fired the fatal
shot. Kim’s murder is the 11th homicide in the Iowa capital so far this year –
last year, the city recorded 13 homicides.
“As he did what
any parent would do, instinctually, and try to protect his children, they
essentially executed him in front of his kids. These are innocent people who
have done absolutely nothing wrong, and this type of terror is brought onto
their family” Parizek told the Des Moines Register newspaper.
Kim came to
America with his wife Esther as refugees in December 2008. Apparently, the grim
incident occurred just hours after Holy Family Catholic School celebrated its
“Culture Day,” where Kim’s two older children, first- and second-graders,
attend school.
Kim attended the
event with his kids, including his youngest who is about to start preschool in
the fall. Martin Flaherty, school principal, described him as “kind” and
“hard-working.”
“He was just so
earnest, and he wanted to do what was best for his kids and his family. He
worked so doggone hard.”
Flaherty added,
“He was absolutely determined to make sure his children had a good education.
He was a committed father.” Kim’s death was easily mourned by loved ones,
including the Burmese refugee community. Henny Ohr, executive director of the
Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC), said:
“I think it’s
unfathomable for the refugee community from Burma to come to any understanding
of something this senseless.”
A fund-raising
effort has been set up to help with Kim’s funeral costs and his children’s
education.
GNLM
Ref; The Global
New Light of Myanmar
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