Community mourns for Renton murder victim, activist and dad of 5 kids

Deep pain and grief in south Seattle, as a community mourns the murder of 57-year-old Mohamadou Kabba. He is known as an activist for rideshare drivers, a community leader in his mosque, and above all – his long-time friends say he is remembered for his kindness.

He was shot in Renton on Jan. 12, one of three victims in a shooting spree that prosecutors described as “seemingly at random.”

Kabba died at the hospital two weeks after the incident. He leaves behind a wife and five children.

“Even a small piece, he wants to share with people. Very kind. Very generous. And now he is gone. We are in pain,” said Samba Ceesay, a long-time friend of Kabba.

Friends of Kabba say he was an Uber driver and the sole provider for his wife and five kids. The oldest child is about 13 years old. Now, his friends are asking the community to care for Kabba’s family as he cared for others.

A GoFundMe created for his family has so far raised about $46,000, but friends say the need will be far greater.

“This is hardship. After he’s passed away, now the family, there’s no one to do that for them,” said Abgoullahe Bayo, another long-time friend and imam at Gambia Masjid mosque.  “He was doing all that hustling daily in his life.  Twelve hours a day he would be driving,” Bayo said.

More than a thousand people showed up for his memorial. And last week, hundreds attended his burial at Woodlawn Cemetery.

“He is a role model,” Bayo said. “It’s like he’s famous in the town.”

Bayo added that Kabba attended midday prayer at any mosque he was close to, and took care to get to know everyone he met.

Drivers Union WA also says he was an activist who helped fight for better wages and empower rideshare drivers.

“It’s very, very sad to everybody in the community and also for us as an African community. You know, everybody is in shock,” said Peter Kuel, president of Drivers Union WA.

The suspect in the shooting is 32-year-old Mamadou Diallo. He was arrested in Tacoma after police say he also shot a victim at the Renton Kia Pros, and another victim in Sea-Tac all within an hour.

He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment and is being held in jail on $3 million bail. He’s being charged with first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree attempted murder.

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