Interpreter who escaped Afghanistan shot dead by youths in Washington, DC

A 31-year-old Afghan man was killed early Monday morning while driving for the ridesharing service Lyft in Northeast Washington, DC. Nasrat Ahmad Yar, who lived across the Potomac in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and four children, died from a single gunshot wound inside his vehicle.

Ahmad Yar and his family immigrated to the United States in 2021 amid President Biden's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, which ended with the Taliban assuming control over the country. Prior to leaving, Ahmad Yar had been an interpreter for US troops.



According to DC's Metropolitan Police Department, the incident took place in the 400 block of 11th Street Northeast just after midnight on Monday.

Officers were called to the scene following reports of an unconscious person, and upon arrival, they discovered Ahmad Yar in his vehicle. He was rushed to hospital, but "after all life-saving efforts failed, the victim was pronounced dead."

Security footage of the area was soon obtained by a local woman and sent to investigators. In it, a group of what appear to be four teenagers can be seen fleeing the scene after one fired a gunshot. Police are offering a $25,000 reward to anyone that provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

"You just killed him!" one of the teens shouts, to which another replies, "He was reaching, bro."
 

In an interview with WUSA9, the woman said, "There's like a lot of questions we should be asking, like why do these kids have access to a gun? Will they be held accountable? Why don't they comprehend life-altering consequences of pulling the trigger?"

No further information has been released by police regarding the identities or potential motive behind the killing.

Ahmad Yar had been driving for Lyft when he was shot dead. According to WUSA9, his wife had urged him to stay home that evening, but he had gone out anyways, arguing that he had to make money to pay their rent.

"Our hearts are with Mr. Nasrat's loved ones as they confront this unspeakable tragedy," Lyft said in a statement. "We have reached out to his family and are in contact with law enforcement to assist with their investigation."

The couple and their children had originally settled in Philadelphia after immigrating from Afghanistan, but, fearing for their safety after he was robbed at gunpoint, moved to the Washington, DC area.
 

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Butler told the outlet that Ahmad Yar  "was most certainly a marked man if he stayed" in Afghanistan following the fall of the country’s government.

Butler said, "he served this country a great deal more than I did. I did 42 months in combat but that was nowhere near what he had." Butler said he worked closely with Ahmad Yar in Camp Vance of the Bagram Airfield for two months of his deployment.

 "You just don't have words to describe how you feel about someone who had given so much to his country, not as a citizen, but then comes here and experiences some of the worst behavior our country has to offer," Butler said. "The irony is really thick here."

A GoFundMe set up to help Nasrat’s family has surpassed its $75,000 goal, bringing in $138,122 in two days.

"Nasrat’s commitment to his family and community was unwavering," the fundraiser states. "He always extended a helping hand to friends and family and readily assisted anyone in need. He was immensely proud to be in the US, and grateful for the safety and opportunities that would be afforded to his four young children," ranging in age between 15 months to 13 years.