‘We need to spread love’: Vigil held to honor El Cajon dentist shot and killed

EL CAJON, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — “Ben, I love you and I want you to know we all love you and miss you,” Benjamin Harouni’s younger brother Jacob Harouni said through tears to a crowd of people in El Cajon.

They were gathered at a candlelight vigil honoring his brother, 28-year-old Dr. Benjamin Harouni.

Police said Harouni was shot and killed while working as a dentist at Smile Plus Dentistry and Orthodontics at 480 North Magnolia Avenue in El Cajon on Thursday. His family said he had just became a dentist after graduating USC and followed in his father’s footsteps while working at his father’s practice.

“I just wish I could tell him I love him,” Jacob said. “I don’t think I told him that enough, and I wish I could hug him, hug him really tight.”

Harouni and two others were shot early Thursday evening inside Smile Plus Dentistry and Orthodontics, according to the El Cajon Police Department. When officers arrived on scene, they brought the victims outside of the dental office to perform CPR.

El Cajon Police identified the shooter as 29-year-old Mohammed Abdulkareem, who police said is believed to be a “disgruntled former patient” of the dental office.

El Cajon Police said in a post on X that, so far, “there is no indication the attack was racially or politically motivated.”

But many believe otherwise.

“It’s one of those awful things that you pray that would never happen in your city,” El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said. “It is more concerning that the person that was killed was Jewish because, as everyone knows, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of people who have been involved in violence and has been targeted over the past 3-4 months.”

“Why was it Ben who had to be murdered in cold blood, the purest soul taken by an act so hateful and violent?” Jacob questioned. “In these times of so much tension and war for what? We should all love each other we are all made out of the same flesh and bones.”

Many people spoke during the vigil, honoring and remembering Benjamin’s life and the generosity, joy and positivity he shared.

“I wish I could spend one more day with him,” Jacob added. “We need to spread the love and the peace that he was all about.”

His family said they are planning to create a foundation in Harouni’s honor, aiming to spread love, kindness and peace, and dispell hate.

Abdulkareem has been booked into the San Diego County Central Jail on multiple felony charges, according to police. He faces one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Police also noted that further investigation into the incident could reveal additional felony charges.

He is scheduled to be arraigned next week.