‘We hope that this will help’: Event raises money for family of fallen officer

Sheri and David Dennis said they wanted to do whatever they could to help the family of slain Officer Austin Abdelnabi. They joined hundreds of supporters at a fundraiser held Saturday at a Las Vegas coin store on the city’s west side. The event, organized by the Injured Police Officers Fund, took place in the parking lot of Nevada Coin Mart on South Jones Boulevard near West Flamingo Road from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees — including Metropolitan Police Department officers, state troopers, firefighters and local residents — gathered to raise money for Abdelnabi’s household after the 30‑year‑old officer was killed in the line of duty on Aug. 4. Wristbands and T‑shirts bearing Abdelnabi’s badge number and his start‑ and end‑of‑watch dates were sold, and cash donations were accepted. Organizers said all proceeds will go directly to the officer’s family. Abdelnabi, a South Carolina native and decorated Marine Corps veteran, graduated from Clemson University before joining Metro in 2023. Friends and family remembered him at a ceremony Friday as devoted, outspoken and endearingly stubborn. He leaves behind his wife, parents, two brothers and a sister; his relatives were unable to attend the fundraiser. A banner displaying Abdelnabi’s photograph sat on a table where supporters wrote condolences in silver and gold markers. Sheri Dennis, wearing a “Back the Blue” shirt and hat, explained why she and her husband participated. “We think it’s important to support our local and national law enforcement,” she said. “Their service is underappreciated, and we want them to know that we support them in both the good times and the tragic times.” Alexander Cuevas, president of the Injured Police Officers Fund and a sergeant with the North Las Vegas Police Department, said the response over the past week has been overwhelming. “No amount of wealth will bring him back, but we hope that this will help,” Cuevas remarked. He added that the individual who produced the wristbands sold at the event is from the same South Carolina region as Abdelnabi. The creator stayed up overnight to finish the items and shipped them the day after the officer’s death. “I’ve collected so many of these wristbands over the years, and I know officers who have full sleeves of them,” Cuevas said. “It’s a motion of support, and it’s fantastic to see everyone come together.”