Khaberni - A young Egyptian from the city of Port Said was killed in front of passersby inside his workplace in the United States, where someone shot him five times, causing his death.
The mother recounted the details of the incident in a live broadcast on "Cairo 24," confirming that her son was not involved in a fight or dispute. He was simply performing his duties at a restaurant in North Carolina, when a simple humanitarian gesture turned into a crime that shook his family and everyone who knew the young Egyptian there.
Mohamed Rayan's mother said her son was 30 years old, and had traveled to the United States since he was 17 years old, starting to work early to support himself and help his family. She added that her son was known among his colleagues and friends for his good manners and kindness and was always involved in charity work, helping the needy and even animals, and participating in the reconstruction of mosques and humanitarian initiatives within the community he lived in.
She continued that everyone who knew him abroad attested to his good treatment and kind heart, stating that his good reputation was what made the news of his killing a huge shock among his friends and acquaintances in America.
According to the mother's story, the incident began when a girl inside the restaurant asked for a cup of water, feeling her thirst, especially since he was fasting during the day in Ramadan. She said her son headed to the water station and brought the girl a cup to quench her thirst, in a simple humanitarian gesture that he could not have imagined would turn into a defining moment in his life.
She added that the suspect, one of the workers at the place, was extremely angry and accused Mohamed of interfering in his work, which led Mohamed to push him away with his hand only, then he returned to complete his work as if nothing had happened. However, the suspect was not satisfied, as he pulled out a firearm and fired five consecutive rounds at Mohamed, hitting his head and heart, causing the young Egyptian to instantly fall dead.
The mother revealed that the incident occurred in front of several customers inside the restaurant, among them a person who witnessed the whole crime. She explained that this person immediately reacted after the shooting, grabbing the suspect and holding a gun to his head, insisting on detaining and preventing him from escaping until the police arrived.
She confirmed that the witness feared that the killer would flee to another state and disappear there, but his persistence in holding him until the police arrived contributed to his immediate arrest before he could escape. She added that the American police arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect, beginning an investigation into the incident.
Mohamed Rayan's mother mentioned that the incident was fully documented by surveillance cameras inside the restaurant, which made the details of the incident clear to the investigative authorities. However, watching those scenes was extremely harsh on the family, as they saw the moment when their son was shot and fell to the ground after being hit by five bullets. She said that these moments were among the toughest the family has faced, especially since they watched the details of their son's killing right before their eyes through the recordings.
The mother explained that the crime occurred about an hour to an hour and a half before the Maghrib prayer call, confirming that her son was fasting at the time of the incident. She added that her son was known for his great devotion to his family, always ensuring regular communication with his mother, father, and sister, as well as with relatives in America, and he was deeply loved by his friends, who were greatly saddened by the news of his death.
The mother said she had a strange feeling before the incident, fearing for her son from any harm. She added that she had warned him more than once not to go out at night or to drive his car late at night, fearing any attack, but Mohamed reassured her, telling her that he was working and living peacefully, even once telling her: "If something happens to me, I will be a martyr." And the mother continued: "My son always said that if he died while doing good, he would be a martyr."
The mother revealed that her son's body remained inside the mosque for more than 12 hours until the funeral prayer was performed for him. She said that the local Muslims made sure to pray for him and escort him before he was buried in the United States after the judge approved it. She explained that the family wanted him to be buried according to Islamic law, and they convinced the judge that keeping the body unburied until the end of the investigations contradicted Islamic teachings, and indeed, the judicial authorities allowed him to be buried there.
The mother said her son was named Mohamed Rayan, adding: "I believe he has a share of his name, and that he will enter through the gate of Rayan." She added that what her son did was a purely humanitarian act, as he quenched the thirst of a girl without asking about her religion or nationality. She noted that the girl to whom he gave water was American and not Muslim, but he saw in her thirst a human in need of help, saying: "Our religion taught us mercy, taught us to quench the thirsty and to be compassionate towards the young."
The mother of the young man from Port Said confirmed that the first court session for the accused is scheduled to be held on March 18, in front of the competent court. She added that the family hopes that justice will take its course, and that the killer will receive a suitable punishment for his crime.
Calls for following up on the case
In conclusion, the mother of Mohamed Rayan appealed to the Egyptian authorities concerned to follow up on the case with the American authorities, to ensure the rights of her son are not lost. She said her son was treacherously killed while working abroad, without having committed any wrong, except that he provided a cup of water to a thirsty girl. She added with a voice filled with pain: "All I want to know... why did the killer take my son from me? What was my son's fault... that he quenched a thirsty girl's thirst?"
