An Afghan fighter that fought alongside US forces against the Taliban has been killed in Houston, Texas, over a parking space. Abdul Rahman Waziri, 31, was killed on April 27 in the car park of his Houston apartment complex after a neighbour allegedly shot him multiple times at around 9.15 pm, according to Houston police.
The alleged killer reportedly confessed to cops that he shot dead the war veteran “over parking” – but then the man was allowed to walk free, according to police. Now his family are fighting for justice. “We believe this was a public execution. There’s no other way to call it,” Omar Khawaja, an attorney representing Waziri’s family, told local media.
Mr Waziri and the alleged killer were engaged in a hot-tempered row in the car park of the Gables at Richmond apartment complex at 3400 Ocee St.
The Afghan war hero had stopped his car to check his post at the complex’s postboxes when the shooter, whose identity is not yet known, became angered about where the former soldier had parked, according to local reports.
Mr Khawaja alleges that witnesses saw the suspect vandalising Mr Waziri’s car before a fight broke out between the pair of them.
After the fight, the suspected killer went and fetched a weapon and shot Mr Waziri several times, according to his attorney and the police.
“After the altercation is already over and Mr. Waziri is walking back to his car, the shooter grabs a gun and murders him. He executes him in cold blood,” Mr Khawaja told Eyewitness 13.
The killer is said to have turned himself in to police and surrendered his weapon.
“As officers were investigating the shooting, they were approached by a male who stated he was the shooter and explained he and the deceased male were arguing over parking,” police said.
Despite the confession, the Harris County District Attorney did not charge the shooter, according to Houston police, and he was released and is back living in the apartment complex, reports claim.
“Everybody was afraid that if the murderer is living amongst us, he killed somebody yesterday and he’s back here today,” Omer Yousafzai, a local Afghan community leader, told Eyewitness News 13.
The police investigation continues.
