He fought for freedom and died over a parking spot.
The father of two infant daughters and an Afghan refugee who supported American special forces in his native country was shot dead in Texas last Sunday after a dispute over a parking space, authorities and family said.
Abdul Rahman Waziri, who fled to the US to escape the Taliban, was killed in the parking lot of his west Houston apartment complex after a neighbor allegedly shot him multiple times at around 9:15 p.m., according to Houston police.
“He came here to be safe, and here, when he came, this happened to him,” his brother, Abdullah Khan, told Eyewitness 13.
The alleged killer confessed to cops that he had shot the other man following an argument “over parking,” Houston police said.
Yet, the gunman was allowed to walk free without charges after he was questioned by police, cops said.
His family is calling 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 the local news station.
The horrifying incident began when Waziri got into an argument with the neighbor over a parking space in the Gables at Richmond apartment complex on 3400 Ocean St., authorities said.
Waziri had pulled up to check his mail at the complex’s mailboxes when the shooter, whose identity has not been released, became incensed about where Waziri had parked, according to local reports.
Witnesses said they saw the suspect vandalizing Waziri’s car, and then the fight broke out, Khawaja said.
After the fight ended, the shooter allegedly retrieved his gun and fatally shot Waziri several times, according to Khawaja and 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,” the lawyer told Eyewitness 13.
Police, who are reviewing surveillance footage of the incident, were called to the scene and discovered the father’s body with multiple gunshot wounds lying next to a white Toyota Camry.
The 31-year-old husband and father was rushed to Ben Taub General Hospital, but was unable to be saved.
The gunman turned himself over to police and surrendered his gun. He was handcuffed by police who put “hand bags” on both hands to preserve forensic evidence after a shooting, according to footage taken by KPRC.
“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.
The Harris County District Attorney declined to charge the shooter, according to Houston police. He was released and is back living in the apartment complex, according to reports.
“Everybody was afraid that if the murderer is living amongst us, he killed somebody yesterday and he’s back here today,” Omer Yousafzai, an Afghan community leader, told Eyewitness News 13.
Waziri was a former member of Afghanistan’s security forces who worked alongside US troops in Afghanistan for seven years, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up in his name.
“After serving bravely, Abdul Rahman came to the United States seeking a better and safer life for himself and his family,” the campaign raising funds to send his body back to Afghanistan states. “Tragically, his life was cut short when he was killed without reason.”
Waziri’s family, along with outraged community members, protested outside a Houston police station Friday and held up signs calling for justice.
They demanded police arrest the shooter and asked for a new investigation into what they called the senseless killing of a man they call a war hero.
“There has not been a proper investigation,” Khawaja said.
Community members noted Waziri’s heroics as they sought justice.
“He was a hero,” Nisar Momand, another leader in the Afghan-American community, said, according to KPRC. “He served alongside American Special Forces in Afghanistan for many years, risking his life to protect the very freedoms we value today.”
Waziri worked on multiple perilous initiatives with US troops in Afghanistan before leaving his home country, his brother said.
“He was conducting some dangerous missions,” Khan told KPRC 2 News. “He was the head person in the mission when they were conducting the operation.”
Police are continuing to investigate the shooting.
A request for comment sent to the Harris County District Attorney’s office was not returned Sunday night.
