The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE parents of murdered Bahamian student Kani Rahming are still waiting for justice two months after their son was fatally shot in Houston, Texas.

According to Rahming’s aunt Sherise Cooper, his parents have been waiting for answers on the student’s untimely death on September 18.

According to her, the death was shocking and her sister took it “really hard” as he was her only child.

“They just hoping for justice, that whoever did it, that one day you know would come forth,” she said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs put out a press release confirming Rahming’s death on September 22. At the time, it was said police had not made any arrests and a motive was unknown.

“The ministry learned from the authorities in Houston that on 18th September, 2020, approximately 10pm, the police responded to an incident on Lazy Hollow, Houston, Texas, where it was discovered that Mr Kani Rahming, the alleged victim, had been shot in the chest. He was immediately transported to a nearby hospital where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries,” the ministry stated at the time.

“According to preliminary reports from the media, Mr Rahming allegedly exited his residence to investigate a rock being thrown through the apartment window. It was during this investigation Mr Rahming was shot in the chest.”

His parents found out about the incident through Rahming’s girlfriend that night.

“She called them actually, my sister and her husband, and let her know that something happened to Kani. He got shot and they was taking him to the hospital. We didn’t actually know that he would die right then,” the victim’s aunt said.

“After my sister got the news, well you know no flights actually moving from here in Grand Bahama, so they had to get a charter out of here to get into Florida and then fly down to Houston. That’s like that same week actually.”

Although the 23-year-old victim was from Freeport, his memorial service was held abroad. There was a desire to bring his body back home, but family members were convinced to do otherwise.

“Kani loved America so much,” she explained “So we told her to leave Kani over there meaning just cremate him...

“She would’ve brought him back now, but all of us got together and we said now look this up and down….he then gone now. So I guess listening to all of us and everybody’s input, her and her husband I guess they just decide just to do the memorial service over there.”

Although she couldn’t make it to her nephew’s service as she can’t fly, her son went instead. She said the family got “the royal treatment” from Bahamian officials in Texas after the shooting.

She remembered her nephew as a “loving child” with “a beautiful personality” who spoke his mind.

“The minute you see him, you’ll fall in love with him because he (was) always smiling. You don’t have to say a word to him, nothing, and he just has this smile on his face.”