MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — It’s been nearly a month since a 37-year-old father took his last breath in his driveway after being shot. Who killed him is still a mystery, and now there’s a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.
The Maple Heights Police Department was dispatched to the 5100 block of Miller Avenue around 10:45 p.m. on June 23.
Upon arrival, Mohammad “Mo” Hammad was found lying in the driveway of his home with a gunshot wound.
Maple Heights Fire and EMS personnel arrived to provide medical aid, but Hammad was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Hardest thing to deal with ever,” said Hammad’s brother, Isa. “He was a good guy. He was the type of person to give somebody the shirt off of his back.”
“He was the best son. He was the greatest uncle, the greatest father. He was the best man you can be,” said another brother of Hammad's, Mustafa.
Isa and Mustafa said they got a call about four hours after Hammad was found dead.
“It's a call that you never want to get and it's a sentence you never want to tell a mom, you know, to bury your kid,” said Mustafa. “He was the best son. He was the greatest uncle, the greatest father. He was the best man you can be. He wasn't the oldest of his siblings, but he took on the most responsibility. The guy that's out there [who killed Hammad] didn't only shatter a few lives. He shattered hundreds, if not thousands. He did.”
Maple Heights Police were not available for an interview Wednesday afternoon but provided a small update.
No arrests in Hammad’s murder have been made, and there are no “main suspects.”
“We are following up on some leads. The tips have been minimal but steady. No motive verified yet,” said Maple Heights Police Chief Todd Hansen Wednesday evening.
The Crimestoppers of Cuyahoga County, Inc. are now offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person(s) responsible for the death of Hammad.
Tips can be anonymous.
To submit information regarding Hammad’s case, call 216-252-7463. Information can also be provided online.
While Hammad’s family and friends wait for answers, they’re reflecting on the good memories.
“Valentine's day... I think it was this past year. I brought doughnuts in for the ladies in the morning and [Hammad] was asking me if I was looking for a sweetheart. He came up trying to get a doughnut,” said a co-worker of Hammad’s, Sandy Osso.
Osso told News 5 that Hammad would often help customers who would shop in their gas station. He said those who couldn’t afford the entirety of their purchase, Hammad would pay the difference out of his own pocket.
“My brother loved riding motorcycles and he gave my son a ride on a motorcycle literally two days before he passed away. I asked him on the way, ‘What do you miss most about Uncle Mo?’ I didn't know what he would say and he actually brought up riding his motorcycle. He was a great uncle,” added Mustafa.
“We all got to go to Cedar Point last year. We all think we're ride warriors, but it exposed how old everyone is getting the next day. Everyone was like, ‘Oh my God, my back hurts and I got a headache.’ It was our first time being able to go to Cedar Point as one unit. It was amazing. We got to spend the whole day together. Everyone had their kids there and it was just a very normal experience, but we had never had anything like that before,” explained Isa.
While News 5 visited Hammad’s place of work, a handful of customers expressed their condolences and shared memories of Hammad with Isa and Mustafa.
"We hear so many stories now," said Isa.
Mustafa added another memory that speaks to who Hammad was. He said the night he was killed, he was bringing dinner to their mom.
“His last deed was dropping my mom off chicken that night and on his way home, half hour later is probably when it happened,” said Mustafa.
Isa said although he wants justice for his brother’s murder, locking someone up won’t make the situation any better.
“Even if no one ever gets arrested and even if we never get justice in this life, God will have the final say and we're okay with that,” he added. “I would really want to tell him your kids and everything will be taken care of. We will never be able to replace him between the two of us ever, but they will have a support system that will try as best as we can. I would just hope that he knows that everything will be okay in the long run.”
Hammad leaves behind five children.
A GoFundMe has been set up as a trust for Hammad’s kids.
