An innocent man is dead and now the Korean American community is joining forces to support his family.
As AsAmNews reported Sunday, a stray bullet struck and killed restaurant owner Hwarang Joo in the parking lot as he left the restaurant he owned.
Now, Newschannel 5 reports the Korean American Association of Greater Nashville is stepping in to help with funeral arrangements, insurance issues and has raised $15,000 to support the family through a GoFundMe campaign.
“I’m also a mom with three kids and I’m a person of the community. No matter what, if I know them or not, I have to help any community member,” said the group’s president Minhee Heo.
Joo is survived by his two children and wife who reached out to the Korean American Association for assistance.
“[She was] Just waiting for the husband and trying to track his location with her two small children at home without knowing why he’s not returning home,” the Association’s secretary Hannah Kim said to WSMV Nashville. “So basically, until the following morning, she had no knowledge.”
Joo owned Hot Stuff Hot Chicken and Fish in the Nashville area.
Police say two 17-year-old teens, Marcos and Emilio Leyva-Hernandez, opened fire in the parking lot at another vehicle. Joo was the only one shot.
Marcos is under arrest but his brother remains at large.
Hoo says she has met Joo’s four-year-old son. She was touched by his words to his mother. ‘“Mommy, daddy is in the sky. Can you go fly there and meet daddy?”’
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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