Officer Mohamed Said's 7-year-old brother escorted by police on first day of school
MELVINDALE, Mich. (FOX 2) - On the first day of school, the Melvindale Police Department maintained a tradition that fallen officer Mohamed Said, also known as "Mo," had with his little brother before he was murdered over the summer.
As part of honoring Corporal Mo's legacy, the department took his 7-year-old brother, Yousef Said, to school on his first day of third grade at Allendale Elementary School.
"Me and my older brother always take him – his first day of kindergarten, first grade, and second grade," the slain officer's 22-year-old brother, Ahmed Said, told FOX 2. "For his third grade, my brother was not here, so I was glad the officers came in."
The Mayor of Melvindale, Nicole Shkira, accompanied police as they walked Yousef to class on Monday.
"He was just happy seeing the officers taking him to school," Ahmed said.
Police even gave Yousef his brother's badge to wear.
Mo was killed after responding to a suspicious person call near a car wash in Melvindale on July 21. Michael Lopez, 44, is accused of killing Mo and is now heading to trial on 12 counts, including the murder of a police officer.
Mohamed Said
Ahmed said he is grateful for all the support his family has received as they continue grieving the loss of Mo.
"We show that we're okay, try to be strong, but from the inside – we're not okay," Ahmed said. "My brother was the heart of the family. (Since) he died, (it's) like we're living without our heart… I learned everything for him."
And all the lessons learned from Mo will now be passed along to Youssef by Ahmed and the Melvindale police officers.
"I have a lot of officers texting me every other day, checking on me. The whole department's like second family – the chief, the mayor," Ahmed said.
The Melvindal Police Department is already planning another event with the children at Allendale Elementary School after they brought backpacks and school supplies for all of Yousef's classmates on Monday.
"He was happy with all this support in front of the whole school," Ahmed said.