The 66-year-old man was delivering food for Uber Eats when he was attacked by the teenage girls in Washington.
A 66-year-old grandfather was killed after a botched carjacking attempt by two teenage girls. The two girls, aged 13 and 15, are now facing murder charges after causing the death of the elderly man, Mohammad Anwar. The car reportedly flipped over during the incident, causing Anwar grievous injuries. The 66-year-old, who hails from Springfield, Virginia, worked as an Uber Eats food delivery driver in Washington, D.C., said the police. The incident occurred on March 23, at around 4.30 p.m. Anwar was in his Honda Accord when the two girls reportedly tried to carjack him, read a statement from the Metropolitan Police Department, reported People. The two girls haven't been identified as they are minors. The girls were also legally too young to drive.
The pair allegedly "assaulted the victim with a taser while carjacking the victim which resulted in a motor vehicle accident," stated the Metropolitan Police Department. Anwar reportedly struggled with the girls as they tried to overtake his car before it crashed into 1200 block of Van Street, Southeast, a block from Nationals Park. Anwar was thrown from the car which eventually flipped on its side, reported The Washington Post. He was found lying on the sidewalk with life-threatening injuries. He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
According to a detective who testified in D.C. Superior Court, Anwar got out of the car after a struggle with the girls. The girls reportedly used a taser on the elderly man. As he attempted to get back in the car, the 13-year-old girl allegedly switched on the ignition and manipulated the gear shift which caused the car to lurch forward, said the detective in court. Anwar was left "hanging outside the car" through the open driver's door side. The car crashed and flipped, causing Anwar to suffer a head injury and several broken bones.
The two girls attempted to escape after the crash but were caught and arrested by police officers, as well as a member of the National Guard who was in the vicinity. The two teenagers were charged with felony murder and armed carjacking, said the police. The girls made a video court hearing on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty in juvenile court. They will continue to be held in police custody until the next court appearance. An Uber spokeswoman confirmed that the 66-year-old was making a food delivery when he was attacked. “We are devastated by this tragic news and our hearts go out to Mohammad’s family during this difficult time,” said Uber in a statement.
Anwar's family is heartbroken; he is survived by his wife and three adult children, two of whom are in the US while one of them is in Pakistan. He also has four grandchildren in Pakistan, reported NBC Washington. A GoFundMe campaign has been started by a relative to pay for his funeral costs and to support his family who he provided while working as a Uber Eats delivery driver. "Mohammad Anwar was a hard-working Pakistani immigrant who came to the United States to create a better life for him and his family. He was simply at work yesterday evening, providing for his family, when his life was tragically taken in an appalling act of violence," read the description on the GoFundMe page. Close to $145,000 has been raised as part of the campaign.
References:
https://people.com/crime/girls-13-15-charged-murder-carjacking-uber-eats-driver/
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/two-girls-13-and-15-accused-of-deadly-armed-carjacking-in-southeast-dc-sources-say/2617427/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-anwars-find-peace
Cover image source: GoFundMe
