'Confused and lost': Memorial grows as friends mourn 18 year old killed in stabbing

Zukifili ‘Zeko’ Abdul Hashim was just days away from graduating high school when he died from a stabbing just steps from his front door in London, Ont.

Zukifili ‘Zeko’ Abdul Hashim was just days away from graduating high school when he died from a stabbing just steps from his front door in London, Ont.

Three days after the 18-year-old student was killed at 1067 Southdale Rd. E., a memorial near his home continues to grow.

“We made this to keep Zeko’s memory alive,” said Taj Thompson, who lived in the same housing complex. “We put a lot of things that he liked here. I got a basketball and a lot of people that cared about him are signing it. He loved playing sports and he loved basketball.”

He also had recently developed a passion for boxing, and joined Boomerz Boxing Club.

“We've known each other since I was 12 or 13 years old,” said friend and schoolmate Younis Ali. “We went out together almost every day for lunch. After school we would go to our local park, hang out, and during the week he would come to the gym a lot. We would spar together, train together. He was going to fight with me this August and now I'll be fighting for him this August.”

Hashim was part of the Boomerz Cares Program, which helps troubled youth in poverty through boxing.