DALLAS — The family of a man shot and killed while shopping at a Dallas Costco wants the 16-year-old accused of killing him tried as an adult.
Ali Elbanna a father of five was gunned down last November.
Four teenagers were arrested in his robbery and murder.
Police say the person who pulled the trigger is a 16-year-old male.
Now the victim's family wants him remanded to adult court.
"I feel like any judge who's looking into this case and sees that, you know my dad wasn't there buying drugs," Mary Elbanna, the victim's daughter said. "My dad wasn't doing anything that anyone else wouldn't be doing. That's perfectly normal and he lost his life and somebody took his life. And we ask the judge considers that very basic fact and sees that justice is done in this case."
They held a protest Tuesday afternoon at the Henry Wade Justice Center.
"It's a call to action that we have an active role to keeping our community safe, because right now that idea it can happen at all says we are not," said Elbanna.
Elbanna was doing what many of us do every day: shopping for groceries.
Police say the beloved father of four daughters and a son was shot and killed in broad daylight.
Four suspects were arrested.
Police say on the day Ali was killed the suspects had robbed other people. They say the shooter was a 16-year-old male.
"Justice is knowing what happened to him isn't acceptable and that being reflected in the court system, and also knowing that this whole thing doesn't happen to someone else's mother or father," said Stephanie Elbanna, daughter.
The juvenile suspect was supposed to have a hearing Tuesday for a judge to determine if he would be tried as an adult, but the hearing was postponed.
"We are worried that, just because he's a juvenile, the crime won't carry the same weight just because he's young," said Stephanie Elbanna.
So, Ali's daughters want the judge to have the 16-year-old remanded to adult court.
"You know you are supposed to help keep us safe. So do what you can do to make sure that this person that shot and killed an innocent person for something as simple as money, we ask you help to make the world a safer place where something like this can't happen," said Stephanie Elbanna.
Ali was a pillar in his community. A humble man who spent his life giving food and money to help others.
"My dad worked every single day of his life. He wore khakis from Walmart. He drove a car that could barely start because he took everything that he made and gave it to other people," said Mary Elbanna.
The family says their father deserves justice.
They are also upset because the three other suspects in this case had their bonds cut in half, and they fear they will all be back on the streets.
So, Ali's daughters vow to fight for him.
"He was a person that gave his life to everyone else. He deserved the right to rest and to enjoy the rest of his life and be in peace. So, this is all we have left," said Stephanie Elbanna.