CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The victim was 59-year-old Benjamin Mustafa.
The shooting happened in April of 2014 at the corner of Brownlee Boulevard and Ayers Street.
Family, friends, and members of the Homicide Survivors Support Group came together for a celebration of life in the parking lot of the corner store which is now named Ben's Community Market after their loved one.
Mustafa was a role model to his children and a friend to everyone he met.
"He just had this thing to helping people, you went into the store he was going to hear your life story," said Mustafa's daughter Jen Allende.
Born in Iran, Mustafa's family said he came to the United States and had such a passion and love for his new county. He actually named his youngest daughter America.
The impact of the 2014 murder sent shockwaves through the entire community.
"It was very remarkable because we didn't realize how many people he impacted until the day of his service," said Allende.
On the anniversary of his death, his family not only honors Mustafa but so many others who have also died as a result of a homicide.
They also used the gathering a way to call for a stop to violence.
Among those in attendance was Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez.
"Today is more significant than any other time, especially not only the violence going on in the city but throughout the county and days like today if you are victim of a crime, you can still have courage, you can still be brave, you can continue," said Gonzalez.
Mustafa's family is doing just that by announcing Ben's Memorial Fund, a newly formed non-profit that will help provide financial support to other families of homicide survivors.
"We do turkey giveaways, Christmas gifts, so when we found out we can do it this way we felt that was great, able to do more for the community and help out," said Allende.
A way to continue Ben's legacy for years to come.
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