Man killed in Durham home invasion laid to rest
DURHAM (WTVD) -- The Durham community was forced to say their final farewells Friday afternoon to a beloved track coach. Shareef Muhammad was shot and killed during a home invasion Tuesday.
The 29-year-old New Jersey native was laid to rest as more than 150 people came together in prayer for his service.
Muhammad was a graduate of N.C. Central University and ran on the track team. His former coach and mentor Michael Lawson says the community lost one of the hardest-working athletes.
"It's a little heavy," said Lawson. "But one thing I can say is that the time he was here, he did some good things and also been working with the youth and that's one of things that I stress when he was coming up through, under my wings, [was to] give back to the community and he was on the road to doing that."
Investigators say two unidentified men armed with guns stormed into Muhammad's house and tried to rob him. The Durham track coach was killed during the fight. His body was discovered steps from NCCU, where he went to school.
At NCCU, Muhammed was motivated, hardworking, and eager to learn. Those traits earned him all-American status in the 400 meters hurdles during his tenure from 2003-07.
Muhammed was a well-liked and widely known coach with the Triangle Champions Track and Field Club in Durham, paying it forward by pushing them to be better.
"He was just so excited about his new career," said friend Robert Todd Curington. "He wanted to really make a difference to the young kids that were a part of the program and all of a sudden this tragedy takes place out of nowhere."
Saturday afternoon, the beloved coach will be honored at a candlelight vigil. That will start at 4:30 p.m. on the track at Hillside High School.
Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call Investigator M. Evans at (919) 560-4440, ext. 29336 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.
