Vigil held for Filipino photographer killed during Washington state home invasion

August 30, 2022

Over 100 people attended a vigil over the weekend to honor the life of a Filipino mother killed in her home in South Everett, Washington, earlier this month.

Community members, friends and family gathered on the 1700 block of 132nd St. in South Everett on Sunday to mourn the death of Irah Sok, a Filipino photographer who was reportedly shot and killed by three masked men inside her home on Aug. 19.

“We’re good people, why us?” Sok’s husband, Makara, said at the gathering. “I lost my wife, the love of my life. My best friend. My everything. My son doesn’t have a mom anymore.”

The vigil was organized by Sok’s friends, Sarah Mitchell and Kelly Burns, to help highlight the love Sok had spread among the community. They have printed out flyers to raise awareness and are also urging anyone who may have information to come forward.

“Someone decided to break into their home and take someone’s life,” Burns told FOX 13. “It will not be mishandled. We will not forget and we will continue to hit the pavement with these flyers.”

“We just want to come together as a community to let the family know that they can rest assured we’re not going to let this go, and there needs to be justice served for Irah and the community wants answers,” Mitchell told KIRO 7. “And there’s been so much violence lately, every day you hear about somebody who’s been murdered or shot and we just can’t stand for this any longer.”

According to her sister, Sok chased her dreams and encouraged others to do the same. Sok started her photography career in a garage studio before opening her own professional photography studio, Irah Sok Images, in Mill Creek, Washington, in January, as mentioned in the GoFundMe campaign set up by Lynn Nguyen and Sok’s cousin Mary Aileen Lapuz.

Lapuz told KIRO 7 last week that since Sok was an award-winning photographer, her success might have made her a target.

Sok was at home with her son and husband on Aug. 19 when three masked men forced their way inside and fatally shot her, according to reports. Makara, who is Cambodian American, was injured during the incident, while their son was reportedly unharmed.

Makara said he was only able to call the authorities in their neighbor’s home after the suspects fled their house.

No arrests have been made as of this writing. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the incident, and investigators have requested for home surveillance videos taken on Aug. 19 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. from the Sok family’s neighbors.

Anyone who may have information is urged to contact the Snohomish County Sheriff’s tip line at 425-338-3845 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Featured Image via FOX13

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