An Iraqi Father’s Shocking Alleged Attempted “Honor Killing” of His Daughter
Shocking bodycam footage captured the arrest of an Iraqi father, Ihsan Ali, who allegedly attempted to “honor kill” his teenage daughter outside her Washington high school. The incident occurred when his 17-year-old daughter refused to marry an older man in another country, leading to a violent confrontation outside Timberline High School in Lacey in October.
The footage shows Ali more concerned about his car than his daughter as he is being arrested. He can be heard yelling in Arabic to his wife, Zahraa Ali, expressing worry about the police potentially stealing their car during the arrest.
According to charging documents, Ali choked his daughter to the point of unconsciousness and punched her boyfriend in the face during the altercation. The daughter had sought help from school staff after running away from home, triggering the violent response from her parents.
During the incident, bystanders, including the girl’s boyfriend, tried to intervene and pry her away from her father. The girl managed to escape with her boyfriend to the school’s main office, where she reported the attack, leading to a lockdown at the school.
Both Ali and his wife, Zahraa Ali, were charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, and assault in connection with the incident. The boyfriend’s family had previously obtained a temporary protection order due to ongoing issues with the Ali family.
Honor killing, a practice in some societies where family members justify killing a person, often a woman, for bringing dishonor to the family, is a deeply concerning issue that continues to be a cause of alarm.
