An undercover officer with the NYPD using the name Ilter reached out to Ferhani during the investigation, befriending him in order to get closer to the suspect.

“Ilter pursued Ahmed, driving him to doctor’s appointments, spending money on him, lending him money, and calling him his brother,” supporters of Ferhani write on the Justice for Ahmed website.

“Ahmed was a vulnerable target–he was broke, unemployed, depressed, and struggling with emotional imbalances. The NYPD was fully aware of Ahmed’s condition, and most likely chose him as a target because of it.”