Fellow Shop-Owners Say Gunshot Victims Were Nice, Quiet

The Hakeem brothers—who were found shot dead in their tobacco store on Davis Street yesterday—were quiet, nice men who mostly kept to themselves, according to fellow shop-workers, neighbors and acquaintances.

Evanston police and the North Regional Major Crime Task Force are currently investigating the deaths of Azim Hakeem, 38, and Mobeen Hakeem, 34, who were found dead around 8 p.m. Tuesday in the basement of the Evanston Pipe & Tobacco shop at 923 Davis St. There were no indications of a robbery, and the incident is classified as a death investigation, according to Evanston Police Cmdr. Jason Parrott. 

“I can’t imagine why anyone would want to hurt them,” said an acquaintance from high school who preferred not to be named. “My heart is very saddened by this.”

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Mobeen Hakeem often bought chocolate candy at 7-Eleven, Davis Pantry or Lemoi Ace Hardware, according to Lemoi manager Dale Spanroff. 

“He’d come over here and get his sugar fix,” Spanroff said. “You never know.”

Fellow Lemoi manager Scott Evans said the incident was “shocking,” given the fact that the two men died at a store in the heart of downtown Evanston.

Mohammed Saleem, an employee of Davis Pantry, also remembered that Mobeen often bought candy and gum at his store. He said Mobeen was quiet, but remembered him as “very nice.” In the past year working at Davis Pantry, Saleem said he had never heard fighting or any unusual noise coming from the tobacco store two doors down.

“I’m very upset,” said Saleem. “It’s a very nice area.” 

Tim Breitberg, an employee of Vintage Vinyl who worked next door to the Hakeems for the past 11 years, said the men did not shop at his store, but he remembered them as nice individuals who kept to themselves. 

Standing outside Bennison’s Bakery, resident Mike Cookman recalled going in to the store when he used to smoke. Cookman has lived about a block away from the tobacco shop since 2009, he said.

“It’s scary—but I don’t know what happened,” he added.

READ MORE: 

Brothers Shot to Death in Downtown Evanston Store