PHOENIX — One week after 17-year-old Kevin Zamora was shot and killed inside Desert Sky Mall, the community gathered Tuesday to support his grieving family with a car wash fundraiser outside Ace of Wingz.
Armando Rubio and Pablo Higuera organized the event, bringing in multiple detailers who volunteered their time. All proceeds from the car wash, along with a portion of sales from inside Ace of Wingz, went to the Zamora family. Some family members were present at the fundraiser and thankful for the community support.
"Not even a full adult yet, a minor, working to put food on the table for his family, and it just really hurts to hear," Higuera said.
Rubio described the effort his team put into making the event a success.
"I got 3 to 4 detailers pulling up," Rubio said. "We're going to get a little burnt, but it's OK, um, as long as we help out, you know, it's going to feel good from the heart.”
Abion Acoy, owner of Ace of Wingz, said he did not hesitate when organizers reached out to him to host the event.
"When they reached out to me, I felt like it was a real tragic situation and anything that I could do to help, you know, that's what I wanted to do," Acoy said.
Higuera, who worked just steps away from Zamora inside Desert Sky Mall, said the experience hit close to home.
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"The fact that if I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, I could have been there as well. The store is only 100 ft away from my store, so just knowing that it couldn't have happened to me and it's just gut-wrenching," Higuera said.
Court documents say Zamora was shot and killed over a misunderstanding at a mall kiosk where he was working. A 15-year-old has been arrested in connection with Zamora's murder.
Higuera said the fundraiser carries a broader message for the community.
"We want to bring awareness to gun violence and violence in general," Higuera said. "We want to make sure that every kid gets home safe at the end of the night every night. And you know, make sure every parent gets their kid home and baby home at night, just to make sure they get some good night rest and get ready for the morning again."
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help cover the Zamora family's funeral expenses.
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