Slain Nepalese refugee remembered as hard-working family man

Friends and coworkers of a slain Nepalese refugee are trying to raise money for his wife and seven young children.

At the same time, members of the man’s tight-knit community are concerned that the violence is another example of ongoing problems between the refugee community and the Rochester neighborhoods in which they have been placed.

Jit Mongar, 38, had been in the country only two or three years and spoke little English, but was working a full-time job and trying to create a better life for his children, who are all younger than 18, said Prajeet Magar, a friend of Mongar and a leader of the Nepalese and Bhutanese refugee community.

“It is very sad. He is just here to make a life for his family. He had just come out of a store and someone points a gun at him and tells him give them his money,” Magar said. “He probably had nothing on him.”

Magar and Sarah Long, a spokeswoman for Sunnking Inc. in Brockport where Mongar worked, said Mongar’s brother, Dahn Magar, told them he and Mongar had visited the CVS store at 397 Lake Ave., about 10:30 p.m. Sunday to buy food for the family.

When they left, they were getting in the car when they were confronted by several men who demanded money and struggled with Mongar and shot him, according to Dahn Magar’s account of the crime.

Police have released few details, but said Lake Section officers found a man — whom they have not yet officially identified — with a gunshot wound to the upper body. He was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he died.

“The investigation is ongoing at this time and we have no suspects in custody,” according to the latest release from the department.

Prajeet Magar, who leads the Bhutanese Community of Greater Rochester, said his community is waiting to hear more from police, but are concerned that the attack was targeted because of recent problems with crime against his community.

A story in the Democrat and Chronicle last summer detailed how refugees — primarily from Bhutan and Nepal, who have been placed in pockets of northwest Rochester after fleeing camps in the past decade — have become targets of crime and violence in their homes, on their streets and in their schools.

About 80,000 Bhutanese refugees (who are ethnically Nepali) were resettled in several countries, including the U.S., and it’s estimated about 2,300 are living in Rochester.

Street robberies of refugees are common, police and advocates said then, because refugees often don’t use banks and carry money on them, albeit often in small amounts — and often don’t report crime to police.

“It’s not safe here,” said Sabash Biswa, 25, outside Mongar’s Tacoma Street home. Biswa is a friend of Mongar, and was relocated from Nepal to Rochester six years ago.

“Sometimes it’s good for a while, but then in a couple months, something happens.”

Prajeet said much has improved since the issues were addressed last summer. Groups have formed to address neighborhood relationships and police are taking more notice.

“It’s very concerning,” Magar said, but acknowledged there is no indication this was a clear attack on a refugee: “The violence is so bad, it can happen to anyone.”

A funeral is planned for Mongar on Saturday.

Long set up an account on gofundme.com with a goal of raising at least $10,000 for Mongar’s young family. Sunnking Inc., which employs between 16 and 20 Nepalese and Bhutanese refugees, gave employees the day off Monday to be with their community.

Long said the tight-knit, hard-working refugee community is the “true meaning of family and togetherness” and Mongar was a highly respected member of it and a valued employee.

“Jit was one of the hardest-working individuals we have ever had the privilege to work with,” reads the post written by Long. “Jit showed up for work every day on time and had a contagious positive attitude. Last month Jit was voted the Sunnking Employee of the Month. He received an astounding 20 nominations.”

The site had raised more than $4,600 by Tuesday afternoon.

“As people who only want to help and be supportive during this time we ask for whatever amount of money you can share for the surviving loved ones of Jit. He worked hard to support his growing family and never asked for handouts.

“He only wanted to make a good life for his family and himself.”

JHAND@DemocratandChronicle.com