ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It’s been three years since the Kaufman family has laughed at a solid joke from their loved one Karl Jurisson.

“Father’s Day three years ago he basically said, ‘Hey, I have to go, I love you guys best Father’s Day ever.’ He went to his girlfriend’s house to check on her house because she was in Panama,” said David Kaufman, owner of Kaufman’s Coffee & Bagels. 

But he never came home. Kaufman says a group of teens tried to steal his car, and ended up shooting and killing him.

“He was loving, funny, everybody knew him out here. Everyone would say he was their best friend,” said Kaufman. 

This Father’s Day, they’re turning their grief into purpose as they honor Karl during a second anniversary celebration at Kaufman’s Coffee & Bagels. 

“I’m kind of crying right now on the inside as we are talking about it. Honoring him by having pictures up in the bagel shop, having a lot of his friends come out, wearing the ‘Carl with a K’ hat of course,” Kaufman said.

He plans to donate a portion of Sunday’s profits to the New Mexico Crusaders for Justice. It’s a nonprofit dedicated to helping families affected by gun violence, and changing laws in our state to help improve crime victims’ rights. 

“It has gotten out of hand, I mean it’s affecting everybody, and if we can at least stop one person from losing somebody from senseless violence. It just makes no sense, my father-in-law would have gave him the Prius, that is the kind of guy he was. He would have gave him his wallet, the Prius, and bought him lunch. Instead, they just shot him,” said Kaufman.   

Choosing to honor his loved ones’ memory, and inviting the community to do the same.

According to court documents, a judge sentenced the man who killed Jurisson to 11 years in prison and five years probation this past February.