KILLEEN, Texas — Three days after a fatal stabbing at a Killeen mosque, family, friends and community members are gathering together to pay their final respects the victim.
Col. Muhammad Idrees Khan, 69, was a highly-decorated veteran who served for decades with the Texas National Guard as a combat surgeon. Khan served three tours of duty—in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Iraq. He also received over two dozen medals and honors for his service.
Khan also helped found the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen, in hopes of bringing a place of prayer to a religious minority in the area.
Community members joined together on Tuesday afternoon for a funeral service, which included prayer and a military salute as Khan was laid to rest.
Khan's longtime friend and co-found of the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen, Osman Danquah, said Khan was a visionary dedicated to his country and community.
The two founded the mosque after retiring from the service, after seeing a need for a space for the Muslim community.
"We need a place of worship, a place for the community. So we got together and we started the process," Danquah said.
Khan lost his life on Saturday after another member of the mosque, with whom Khan had a prior business relationship to, stabbed him during a prayer service.
"Let us expand his legacy of service and come together and build a better community, a stronger community," Danquah said.
